Gatan

What Gatan does

Gatan, Inc. is a manufacturer of specialized instrumentation and software that enhance and extend the performance of transmission and scanning electron microscopes (TEM/SEM), serving industrial, governmental, and academic laboratories worldwide. Founded in the 1960s and headquartered in Pleasanton, California, the company has operated for 60+ years and is currently a wholly-owned subsidiary of AMETEK, Inc. (NYSE: AME) within its Materials Analysis Division, following AMETEK's October 2019 acquisition from Roper Technologies and a March 2023 merger with EDAX, LLC.

Gatan's product portfolio covers the entire electron microscopy workflow. Specimen preparation is addressed by the PECS III precision etching/coating system and the Ilion III cross-section miller; imaging and spectroscopy by the GIF Continuum K3 energy filter, the Stela hybrid-pixel camera (via DECTRIS), ClearView scintillator camera, Alpine direct detection camera for cryo-EM, Metro in-situ counting camera, Monarc Pro T cathodoluminescence system, and the Cipher quantitative lithium mapping tool; and specimen handling by a range of cryogenic, heating, and biasing holders. The DigitalMicrograph / Gatan Microscopy Suite software unifies acquisition and analysis across the camera line and supports advanced techniques including 4D STEM diffraction, EELS, EFTEM, spectrum imaging, and strain mapping. The 2023 EDAX merger added EDS/EDX, EBSD, WDS, and Micro-XRF (Orbis II, Elite T Ultra) capabilities, broadening the offering into complete compositional and structural microanalysis.

Gatan operates a sales-led, enterprise go-to-market with regional offices across the US, UK, Germany, France, China, India, Singapore, and Japan, supplemented by an online store for spares and consumables. Revenue is generated through capital equipment sales, perpetual and subscription software licenses (DigitalMicrograph), recurring service plans and support, and ongoing consumables — a model that combines high-ASP hardware with a sticky recurring software and service tail. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Gatan holds ISO 9001:2015 certification for its US quality management system.

Name

Gatan

Legal name

Gatan, Inc.

Website

https://gatan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Gatan manufactures instrumentation and software that enhance transmission and scanning electron microscopes, serving industrial, government, and academic laboratories in electronics, life sciences, materials, and natural-resources research. It operates as a subsidiary of AMETEK, Inc.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electron Microscopy Instrumentation

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)

Keywords

• Electron microscopy instrumentation
• TEM and SEM cameras
• Specimen preparation systems
• Energy filter systems
• Microscopy software

Headquarters

HQ city

Pleasanton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electron Microscopy Hardware: Sale of TEM and SEM instrumentation including cameras, energy filters, specimen holders, and preparation equipment. Products are sold directly to research institutions, industrial laboratories, and academic facilities.
2. Software Licenses and Subscriptions: DigitalMicrograph software platform sold with perpetual licenses and/or subscription models for ongoing updates and support.
3. Service Plans and Support: Comprehensive service plans including technical support, maintenance, calibration, and RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) services for repair and parts replacement.
4. Spares and Consumables: Replacement parts, consumables, and accessories sold through online store to support ongoing operation of electron microscopy equipment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gatan manufactures and sells instrumentation and software that enhance and extend the operation of transmission and scanning electron microscopes (TEM/SEM). The product portfolio spans specimen preparation systems (PECS III, Ilion III), specimen holders including cryogenic and in-situ stages, imaging and spectroscopy cameras (Stela hybrid-pixel, GIF Continuum K3 energy filter, ClearView, Alpine, Metro, Monarc Pro T), and the DigitalMicrograph (Gatan Microscopy Suite) software platform. Following the 2023 EDAX merger, the company also sells EDAX-branded EDS/EDX, EBSD, WDS, and Micro-XRF microanalysis systems under the Gatan brand.

Product overview

Gatan is the world's leading manufacturer of instrumentation and software used to enhance and extend the operation and performance of electron microscopes. Its product portfolio spans the entire analytical workflow—from specimen preparation and manipulation to imaging, spectroscopy, and analysis—covering both TEM and SEM platforms. The core hardware offerings include specimen preparation systems (PECS III precision ion polishing system, Ilion III cross-section milling system), specimen holders (cryogenic cooling holders, in-situ heating/electrical bias holders), and imaging/spectroscopy cameras (GIF Continuum K3 energy filter, Stela hybrid-pixel camera, ClearView scintillator camera, Alpine direct detection camera for cryo-EM, Metro counting camera, Monarc cathodoluminescence system). Gatan's proprietary DigitalMicrograph (Gatan Microscopy Suite) software unifies acquisition and analysis across all cameras. Following the 2023 merger with EDAX, the portfolio was expanded to include EDAX-branded EDS/EDX, EBSD, WDS, and Micro-XRF systems, as well as the EDAX Orbis II and Elite T Ultra products. The portfolio is complemented by EM Academy training, software scripting resources, spare parts, and service plans.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gatan Microscopy Suite: Software platform for electron microscopy data acquisition and analysis
• DigitalMicrograph
• EDAX
• PECS
• Ilion
• GIF Continuum
• K2 Summit
• ClearView
• Metro
• Stela
• Monarc Pro
• Cipher
• Alpine

Products and services

• PECS III System Precision ion polishing and coating system for SEM specimen preparation, producing consistent high-quality surfaces for semiconductors, batteries, and advanced materials.
• Ilion III System Cross-section milling system for TEM and SEM specimen preparation, providing consistent, high-quality milling for industrial laboratory environments.
• Double-Tilt LN2 Cooling Holder (Model 1697) Cryogenic specimen holder designed for demanding cryogenic TEM workflows, enabling longer, more reliable in-situ experiments with temperature-driven insights.
• Stela Hybrid-Pixel Camera Fully integrated hybrid-pixel electron detector for advanced 4D STEM diffraction studies, utilizing DECTRIS hybrid-pixel electron counting technology with on-the-fly digitization for highest dynamic range.
• GIF Continuum K3 System Flagship energy-filtered TEM and electron-counting EELS system with a large-format active-pixel sensor optimized for 200-300 kV operation, supporting low-dose applications and energy-filtered 4D STEM diffraction studies.
• DigitalMicrograph Software (Gatan Microscopy Suite) Gatan's primary software platform unifying acquisition and analysis for camera systems (K3, Stela), enabling workflows for 4D STEM diffraction, EELS, EFTEM, spectrum imaging, strain mapping, and DPC imaging across the product portfolio.
• EDAX Orbis II Micro-XRF System Micro X-ray fluorescence system sold under the Gatan brand following the 2023 EDAX-Gatan merger, providing elemental composition analysis at the microscale.
• EDAX Elite T Ultra EDS System Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy system for (S)TEM with a proprietary windowless 160 mm² X-ray sensor, designed for compositional analysis and in-situ electron microscopy research.
• Cipher System Quantitative lithium mapping system for SEM, the first and only system to quantitatively reveal lithium distribution in conventional scanning electron microscopes for battery research.
• Metro In-Situ Counting Camera Electron-counting camera for in-situ imaging, diffraction, and microscopy below 200 kV, designed for dynamic experiments at low accelerating voltages.
• Alpine Direct Detection Camera Direct detection camera for 100-200 keV cryo-electron microscopy, enabling structural biology research with high signal-to-noise ratio and low-dose capabilities.
• Monarc Pro T System Cathodoluminescence imaging system that reveals structural, optical, and electric properties of materials at the nanoscale.
• ClearView Camera Next-generation scintillator camera for transmission electron microscopy, supporting complete TEM workflows with improved imaging performance.
• In-Situ Holders and Stages Range of specimen holders enabling in-situ heating, electrical biasing, cooling, and strain experiments for dynamic TEM and SEM studies.
• EDAX EDS/EDX, EBSD, and WDS Systems Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, and wavelength-dispersive spectroscopy systems for compositional and structural analysis in SEM, sold under the Gatan brand following the 2023 EDAX merger.
• EM Academy Training Gatan's training and education platform offering courses on EELS, DigitalMicrograph software, and other electron microscopy techniques, including hands-on EELS School programs delivered in collaboration with research institutions.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• EDAXcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2023Gatan and EDAX, LLC completed a merger, with the combined organization maintaining the Gatan brand name. EDAX is known for X-ray microanalysis and electron backscatter diffraction instruments. The merger brings a more complete tool combination for TEM and SEM, combining Gatan's imaging and spectroscopy expertise with EDAX's elemental analysis capabilities. EDAX products are now sold under the Gatan name.
• DECTRIScoreTechnology or Integration · 5 November 2020Gatan and DECTRIS entered a joint sales and service agreement for the Stela hybrid-pixel camera. DECTRIS provides hybrid-pixel electron detector technology that Gatan fully integrated within the Gatan Microscopy Suite platform. This partnership enables mainstream adoption of 4D STEM diffraction technique worldwide, combining DECTRIS detector expertise with Gatan's software integration and customer relationships.
• DECTRIScoreTechnology or Integration · 5 May 2020Release of Stela Low-Voltage Camera as a partner product to the GIF Continuum K3 system. The DECTRIS-powered Stela detector extends the operating range of the K3 system down to 30 kV, creating the first truly optimized 30-300 kV electron-counting energy filter for advanced EELS, EFTEM, and energy-filtered 4D STEM diffraction studies.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Through its Specialty Diagnostics and Analytical Instruments segments (including the legacy FEI electron microscopy business), Thermo Fisher is the world's largest electron microscope OEM and competes with Gatan as both an instrument supplier and a developer of native cameras, software, and accessories. Most direct competitor on the TEM/SEM platform side.
• Bruker: Major analytical instrumentation company with electron microscopy-related products (XFlash EDS detectors, micro-CT, atomic force microscopy). Directly comparable to the EDAX product line within Gatan post-merger and an adjacent peer in the broader microanalysis category.
• Carl Zeiss Microscopy: Operates a significant electron microscopy business (ZEISS Crossbeam, GeminiSEM) with integrated detectors and software that overlap with Gatan's offerings. A peer in the broader microscopy workflow category and a potential internalization threat on the accessories side.
• Oxford Instruments: UK-based analytical instrumentation company with electron microscopy-adjacent products including EDS detectors (AztecLive, Ultim Max), EBSD systems, and microanalysis accessories that compete directly with Gatan's EDAX portfolio.
• Rigaku: Japanese X-ray analysis and analytical instrumentation company producing EDS, WDS, and Micro-XRF systems that overlap with Gatan's EDAX product line post-merger. A peer in microanalysis composition and structural analysis.

Direct peers

• JEOL: Japanese electron microscope manufacturer producing TEM, SEM, and STEM systems with proprietary detectors, software, and specimen preparation equipment. Direct competitor to Gatan's accessories business as JEOL increasingly bundles native solutions that compete with Gatan's third-party cameras and holders.
• Hitachi High-Tech: Through its Science Systems division, Hitachi manufactures TEM and SEM systems with integrated detectors and analytical software. Competes with Gatan on both microscope platforms and on the accessories/software stack for third-party and Hitachi-branded instruments.
• Protochips: Specialized in-situ electron microscopy holder and stage manufacturer (Fusion, Atmosphere systems) competing directly with Gatan's in-situ specimen holder portfolio for dynamic TEM/SEM experiments.

Emerging players

• DECTRIS: Swiss hybrid-pixel detector specialist and Gatan's key technology partner for the Stela camera. Competes indirectly through offering detectors to microscope OEMs directly and could become a more direct competitor if it expands into integrated camera systems or software.
• Hummingbird Scientific: Specialized in-situ TEM holder manufacturer (electrical, liquid, heating, cryo) with products that directly compete with Gatan's specimen holder business for materials science and battery research applications.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gatanmicroscopy
• Facebookfacebook.com/gatan-inc-477384125712030
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/51978

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Gatan