Licence agreement with Oxford Instruments regarding Cube

Berlin, Germany, October 7, 2020 - Bruker and Oxford Instruments have announced that they have reached a settlement on a patent related issue with Bruker’s Cube product. The agreement licences Bruker the Oxford Instruments patents relating to the design of low noise charge sensitive amplifiers (CSAs) of which Cube is an example.

These CSAs are key components in a range of high-performance scientific instrumentation, including EDS (Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy) systems for microanalysis in electron microscopes and handheld and benchtop XRF (X-ray Fluorescence) systems. Under the terms the agreement, Bruker will have access to the Oxford Instruments patents and continue to manufacture and market its Cube CSA under licence from Oxford Instruments. All other terms of the settlement are not being made public.

Thomas Schülein, President of Bruker’s Nano Analytics Division commented “The Cube CSA, originally developed by Politecnico di Milano, one of the world’s most renowned technical universities, and since commercialized by Bruker under exclusive license from Politecnico, has enabled new levels of performance in X-ray and Gamma-ray detection. Since its introduction in 2012, the Cube has been adopted by a growing number of manufacturers of scientific instruments for materials analysis. We are pleased to have reached this commercial agreement with Oxford Instruments in a dispute regarding the IP rights in certain features of the Cube CSA as it prevents lengthy litigation and ensures the uninterrupted supply of our instruments incorporating the Cube as well as of the Cube circuit itself to our valued customers.”

Bruker is enabling scientists to make breakthrough discoveries and develop new applications that improve the quality of human life. Bruker's high-performance scientific instruments and high-value analytical and diagnostic solutions enable scientists to explore life and materials at molecular, cellular and microscopic levels. In close cooperation with our customers, Bruker is enabling innovation, improved productivity and customer success in life science molecular research, in applied and pharma applications, in microscopy and nanoanalysis, and in industrial applications, as well as in cell biology, preclinical imaging, clinical phenomics and proteomics research and clinical microbiology.

Sandra Vodene
Global Marketing Manager,
Bruker Nano Analytics Division
T: +49 30 670990-8591
E: sandra.vodene@bruker.com