What Nion does

Nion is a U.S.-based developer of ultra-stable scanning transmission electron microscopes (STEMs) and electron-optical instruments, founded in 1997 and headquartered in Kirkland, Washington. The company designs and manufactures two principal product lines: the Nion ULTRASTEM, which operates at 30-200 kV with a high-brightness, high-stability cold field emission electron gun (CFEG) for sub-Angstrom resolution imaging and fast nanoanalysis with an atom-sized electron probe; and the Nion HERMES (High Energy Resolution Monochromated EELS STEM), which pairs the CFEG with a state-of-the-art monochromator and Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) to deliver atomic resolution imaging, chemical mapping, 4D-STEM, and vibrational spectroscopy at near-atomic resolution. Both systems run Python-powered open-source software designed to enable a new generation of customizable experiments.

Nion serves materials researchers and scientists in academic institutions and industrial research settings who require atomic-scale imaging and spectroscopic analysis. Its products are integrated with complementary analytical techniques such as EDS, WDS, EBSD, and micro-XRF. The business model is hardware sales of high-end scientific instruments sold via direct enterprise sales on a quote basis, with implied professional services for installation, training, and maintenance.

In January 2024, Nion was acquired by Bruker Corporation, a U.S.-based scientific instruments company, and now operates as a product brand under Bruker's electron microscopy division, distributed through Bruker's global direct enterprise sales and service network. Prior to the acquisition, Nion also received two US Department of Energy research grants in 2023 totaling approximately $1.3M, supporting continued R&D.

Name

Nion

Legal name

Nion

Website

https://nion.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nion develops ultra-stable scanning transmission electron microscopes (STEMs), including the ULTRASTEM and HERMES systems, enabling atomic-resolution imaging, chemical mapping, and vibrational spectroscopy for materials researchers in academic and industrial laboratories. Acquired by Bruker in January 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific Instrumentation / Electron Microscopy

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Microscopy, Imaging & Flow Cytometry Instruments (HLAGAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs) (HDAHAAAH), Metrology, Inspection & Machine Tool Accessories (CMMs, Probing, Gauging) (IMAHADAK)

Keywords

• Scanning transmission electron microscopes
• Electron energy loss spectroscopy
• Atomic resolution imaging
• Materials characterization instruments
• 4D-STEM microscopy

Headquarters

HQ city

Kirkland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Scientific Instrumentation Sales: Nion generates revenue through the sale of high-end electron microscopy systems and related analytical instruments to research institutions and industrial customers. As a precision scientific instruments manufacturer, revenue is derived from hardware sales with potential professional services for installation, training, and maintenance.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Nion designs and manufactures ultra-stable scanning transmission electron microscopes (STEMs) for atomic-scale materials research. Its product line consists of the Nion ULTRASTEM — a 30–200 kV STEM with a high-brightness cold field emission gun (CFEG) for sub-Angstrom imaging and fast nanoanalysis — and the Nion HERMES, which adds a state-of-the-art monochromator with Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) for atomic-resolution chemical mapping, 4D-STEM, and vibrational spectroscopy. Both systems run Python-powered open-source software for customizable experiments and are sold to academic and industrial research customers through Bruker's direct enterprise sales channel.

Product overview

Nion provides ultra-stable scanning transmission electron microscopes (STEMs) designed for materials research applications. The product line consists of the Nion ULTRASTEM and Nion HERMES systems, which enable scientists and engineers to explore sample structures at the atomic scale and probe atomic interactions in four dimensions. These instruments feature Python-powered open-source software and have been designed from the ground up to enable a new generation of experiments. The systems offer complementary capabilities: ULTRASTEM focuses on high-resolution imaging and nanoanalysis, while HERMES specializes in high-energy resolution monochromated EELS for vibrational spectroscopy and chemical mapping.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nion ULTRASTEM: Scanning transmission electron microscope with operating voltages between 30 and 200 kV, featuring a high-brightness, high-stability cold field emission electron gun (CFEG) for sub-Angstrom resolution imaging.
• Nion HERMES

Products and services

• Nion ULTRASTEM Ultra-stable scanning transmission electron microscope with operating voltages between 30 and 200 kV, featuring a high-brightness, high-stability cold field emission electron gun (CFEG). Provides sub-Angstrom resolution imaging, higher probe current, fast nanoanalysis with an atom-sized electron probe, and efficient coupling to a variety of detectors. Designed for materials researchers, scientists, and engineers in academic institutions and industrial R&D settings who require ultra-high-resolution imaging and nanoanalysis at the atomic scale.
• Nion HERMES (High Energy Resolution Monochromated EELS STEM) Combines a high-brightness cold field emission gun (CFEG) with a state-of-the-art monochromator and Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) to enable atomic-resolution imaging, chemical mapping, 4D-STEM, and vibrational spectroscopy at the highest level. Enables probing of vibrational properties of molecules and phonons in crystals containing interfaces and defects at near-atomic resolution. Designed for materials researchers, scientists, and engineers in advanced materials research requiring combined imaging and high-energy-resolution spectroscopic analysis.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• JEOL: JEOL manufactures aberration-corrected STEMs such as the Grand ARM and NEOARM that compete in the same high-end materials-research segment as Nion, with overlapping CFEG and monochromated EELS capabilities.
• Hitachi High-Tech: Hitachi's HF5000 and HD-2700 aberration-corrected STEMs are direct competitors to Nion in atomic-resolution imaging for materials science, often used in the same academic and industrial research environments.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Through its FEI heritage, Thermo Fisher sells the Titan, Talos, Themis, and Spectra STEM/TEM platforms that compete head-to-head with Nion ULTRASTEM and HERMES in advanced materials and life-science research labs globally.

Broad incumbents

• Bruker Corporation: Nion's parent company since January 2024, Bruker offers broader scientific instrumentation portfolios across NMR, mass spectrometry, and analytical solutions, of which the Nion STEMs are now one product line.
• Oxford Instruments (NanoAnalysis): Oxford Instruments' NanoAnalysis division supplies EDS, EBSD, and WDS detectors integrated with electron microscopes, including STEMs, positioning it as a complementary analytical-tools provider in Nion's customer workflows.

Emerging players

• HREM Research: HREM Research provides advanced software and processing tools for high-resolution electron microscopy, including tools compatible with Nion-style STEM data, making it an emerging adjacent specialist in the STEM ecosystem.

Others

• DECTRIS: DECTRIS makes hybrid pixel detectors (PILATUS, EIGER, QUADRO) used in 4D-STEM and diffraction experiments, enabling technology providers that increasingly influence the STEM platform competitive landscape.
• Gatan (AMETEK): Gatan supplies detectors, cameras (e.g., K3, OneView), and software that are widely integrated with STEM platforms including Nion, making it an ecosystem enabler rather than direct competitor.
• Direct Electron: Direct Electron manufactures direct electron detectors (DE series) used in TEM/STEM applications, providing a key enabling technology that increasingly competes with the detector stacks bundled by STEM vendors.
• CEOS: CEOS designs and manufactures aberration correctors and electron-optical components used in high-end STEMs, supplying the broader ecosystem including competitor and Nion-style platforms.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Nion