X-Spectrum GmbH

X-Spectrum GmbH is a German detector-technology company based in Hamburg. It was founded in 2014 as a spin-off from DESY, the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, by five members of DESY's detector development group. The company is headquartered at the Start-Up Labs Bahrenfeld, located directly on the DESY campus, which gives it close access to beamline environments and a research ecosystem that supports rapid testing and refinement of new detector concepts. As of its own account, the company has 19 permanent employees. X-Spectrum designs and supplies high-performance detectors for X-ray and electron imaging. Its portfolio is organized into four detector families. LAMBDA is the flagship photon-counting X-ray detector lineup, based on CERN-developed Medipix3 technology, offering effectively noise-free photon counting, deadtime-free readout, 55 µm pixels, frame rates up to 24,000 fps, and detector sizes from 60k pixels up to 9-megapixel systems. AMBER brings the same Medipix3 platform to electron microscopy, with electron counting, up to 24-bit dynamic range, and up to 24,000 fps. SPARTA is a photon-integrating detector family based on AGIPD technology, aimed at ultra-high-speed X-ray measurements at next-generation sources. AEON is the newest family, an event-driven X-ray detector built around the Timepix4 readout chip developed at CERN and designed for experiments requiring high spatial resolution and high sensitivity over large areas. The company's detectors are used at synchrotrons, X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs), laboratory instruments, electron microscopes, and industrial inspection systems. X-Spectrum positions itself as a partner that makes advanced detector systems genuinely easy to use, supplying not only detector hardware but also dedicated IT equipment and integration support. While its roots and core market are in fundamental research, the company is actively expanding toward industrial applications such as high-throughput inspection and imaging-driven quality assurance. X-Spectrum remains a privately held company. It maintains an active presence in the scientific community, for example attending the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) Congress in Calgary in 2026, and continues to develop and market its four detector families for demanding X-ray and electron imaging applications worldwide.

X-Spectrum GmbH was founded in 2014 as a spin-off from DESY (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron) in Hamburg, Germany. It was established by five members of DESY's detector development group, carrying with them expertise in advanced detector technology developed in a major research environment. The company set up its headquarters at the Start-Up Labs Bahrenfeld, located directly on the DESY campus, which provided close access to beamline environments and a research ecosystem conducive to rapid prototyping and validation of new detector concepts. From its beginnings, X-Spectrum focused on turning cutting-edge detector technology into practical tools for synchrotrons and related research facilities. Its flagship product line, LAMBDA, is a photon-counting X-ray detector based on Medipix3 technology developed at CERN. LAMBDA offers effectively noise-free photon counting, deadtime-free readout, 55 µm pixels, frame rates up to 24,000 fps, and detector sizes ranging from 60k pixels to 9-megapixel systems. Variants such as LAMBDA Flex, LAMBDA E, and LAMBDA Lab address different experimental needs, from flexible sensor placement to cost-efficient laboratory use. Building on the Medipix3 platform, the company developed AMBER, an electron detector optimized for electron microscopy. AMBER brings the proven LAMBDA technology to high-speed electron imaging, with electron counting, up to 24-bit dynamic range, and up to 24,000 fps. It is available in configurations ranging from 250k to 1.5M pixels in monolithic, vacuum-mountable housings, as well as the AMBER Flex with flexible sensor heads. X-Spectrum also introduced SPARTA, a photon-integrating detector family based on AGIPD technology, aimed at ultra-high-speed X-ray measurements at next-generation sources. Its newest family, AEON, is an event-driven X-ray detector built around the Timepix4 readout chip developed at CERN, designed for large-area, high-spatial-resolution, high-sensitivity experiments. By the mid-2020s, X-Spectrum had grown to 19 permanent employees and continued to expand its portfolio and market reach. While its core market remains fundamental research at synchrotrons, XFELs, and laboratories, the company is actively moving toward industrial applications such as high-throughput inspection and imaging-driven quality assurance. It maintains an active presence in the scientific community, attending events such as the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) Congress in Calgary in 2026.

• 2026

  X-Spectrum attends the International Union of Crystallography (IUCr) Congress in Calgary, Canada.

• 2014

  X-Spectrum GmbH founded as a spin-off from DESY by five members of DESY's detector development group.

• LAMBDA photon-counting X-ray detector family launched, based on Medipix3 technology.

• AMBER electron detector introduced, bringing Medipix3 technology to electron microscopy.

• SPARTA photon-integrating detector family based on AGIPD technology introduced.

• AEON event-driven X-ray detector based on Timepix4 readout chip announced.

High-performance, easy-to-use detector systems for demanding X-ray and electron imaging in synchrotron, XFEL, laboratory, electron microscopy, and industrial applications.

• LAMBDA

  Flagship photon-counting X-ray detector family based on Medipix3 technology, offering noise-free photon counting, deadtime-free readout, 55 µm pixels, up to 24,000 fps, and detector sizes from 60k to 9M pixels. Variants include LAMBDA Flex, LAMBDA E, and LAMBDA Lab.

• AMBER

  Electron detector based on Medipix3 technology, optimized for electron microscopy. Offers noise-free electron counting, 55 µm pixels, up to 24-bit dynamic range, and up to 24,000 fps. Available in 250k to 1.5M pixel monolithic housings and AMBER Flex with flexible sensor heads.

• SPARTA

  Photon-integrating detector family based on AGIPD technology, designed for ultra-high-speed X-ray measurements at next-generation sources.

• AEON

  Event-driven X-ray detector built around the Timepix4 readout chip developed at CERN, designed for large-area experiments requiring high spatial resolution and high sensitivity.

1. 1Homepage – X-Spectrumx-spectrum.de
2. 2AMBER for electrons – X-Spectrumx-spectrum.de
3. 3LAMBDA for X-rays – X-Spectrumx-spectrum.de
4. 4About us – X-Spectrumx-spectrum.de
5. 5X-Spectrum GmbH – Wikidatawikidata.org