Zurich Instruments

Zurich Instruments is a Swiss test-and-measurement company that develops precision electronic instruments and software for analyzing dynamic signals. The company serves academic laboratories, industrial research and development organizations, and specialized engineering teams working in fields such as quantum computing, quantum sensing, optics and photonics, scanning probe microscopy, nanophysics, sensors, semiconductors, bioengineering, medical technology, and electrochemistry. The company was established in April 2008 as a spin-off from ETH Zurich by three former ETH employees. Its formation was driven in part by the demand for more capable and flexible lock-in amplifiers, instruments used to recover weak signals in the presence of noise. Early financing came from startup competition prizes and an ETH-related research project, after which the business expanded through self-financing rather than relying on a publicly disclosed venture-capital or stock-market funding model. Zurich Instruments introduced its first commercial product, the HF2LI, in 2009. The 50 MHz lock-in amplifier established the company's initial position in high-performance dynamic signal analysis. The product range later expanded with the UHFLI and MFLI lock-in amplifiers, covering different frequency ranges and research requirements. In 2022, the company added the GHFLI and SHFLI, extending lock-in measurement into microwave-frequency applications with maximum operating frequencies of 1.8 GHz and 8.5 GHz respectively, while retaining operation from the low-frequency end. A central characteristic of the brand is the integration of hardware and software. Its LabOne platform provides a web-based interface for instrument control and supports application programming interfaces, allowing researchers to operate instruments across different computing environments and combine measurement, visualization, automation, and analysis workflows. Alongside lock-in amplifiers, Zurich Instruments offers impedance analyzers, phase-locked loops, digitizers, and boxcar averagers. Quantum technology became an important development area from 2016 onward. Zurich Instruments worked closely with research groups led by Andreas Wallraff at ETH Zurich and Leo DiCarlo at Delft University of Technology. In 2018, it commercialized its first Quantum Computing Control System, or QCCS, combining an arbitrary waveform generator, a quantum analyzer, and a programmable quantum system controller. A second generation of the QCCS was introduced in stages from 2020 through 2023. It added direct microwave generation for superconducting-qubit frequencies and increased system scalability to as many as 448 channels. The company remains headquartered at Technopark in Zurich and has international subsidiaries in Shanghai and Boston. In June 2021, Zurich Instruments was wholly acquired by Rohde & Schwarz. It continues to operate as a specialized brand within the broader test-and-measurement sector, with a focus on advanced research instrumentation rather than mass-market electronics.

Zurich Instruments was founded in April 2008 as an ETH Zurich spin-off by three employees of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. The founders identified an opportunity to improve the performance and usability of lock-in amplifiers, which are used in laboratories to extract small periodic signals from noisy measurements. Initial support came from startup competition prizes and an ETH research project. The company subsequently pursued a self-financed growth model, according to the available reference material. The first commercial instrument was the HF2LI, introduced in 2009. It was a 50 MHz lock-in amplifier and formed the basis of the company's early identity in dynamic signal analysis. Zurich Instruments then broadened its lock-in portfolio. By 2015, the UHFLI and MFLI had been added, providing coverage across different frequency bands, from direct current to hundreds of megahertz depending on the instrument. This expansion allowed the company to address a wider range of physics, engineering, and materials-research applications. The brand's product strategy has consistently combined measurement hardware with software. Its LabOne environment provides a web-based user interface for controlling instruments and supports software APIs for automation and integration. The broader portfolio grew to include impedance analyzers, phase-locked loops, digitizers, and boxcar averagers. These products were designed for research settings where synchronized acquisition, signal processing, and repeatable experimental control are important. From 2016, Zurich Instruments also developed instrumentation for quantum computing in collaboration with groups associated with Andreas Wallraff at ETH Zurich and Leo DiCarlo at Delft University of Technology. This work led to the commercialization of the first Quantum Computing Control System in 2018. The system integrated a multi-channel arbitrary waveform generator known as the HDAWG, a quantum analyzer called the UHFQA, and a programmable quantum system controller called the PQSC. The integrated architecture was intended to coordinate the microwave and control signals required in superconducting-qubit experiments. A second generation of the quantum-control platform was brought to market in stages between 2020 and 2023. Its capabilities included direct microwave signal generation at frequencies relevant to superconducting qubits and a stated scalability of up to 448 channels. In parallel, Zurich Instruments expanded its lock-in amplifier family into microwave applications. The GHFLI and SHFLI, introduced in 2022, offered maximum operating frequencies of 1.8 GHz and 8.5 GHz respectively, while covering signals from the low-frequency end. Zurich Instruments is based at Technopark in Zurich and has international subsidiaries in Shanghai and Boston. Its applications span optics and photonics, scanning probe microscopy, quantum computing and sensing, nanophysics, sensors and actuators, engineering and semiconductors, bioengineering and medical technology, and electrochemistry. In June 2021, Rohde & Schwarz wholly acquired the company. Zurich Instruments remains an active specialist brand focused on advanced laboratory and industrial research instrumentation.

1. 2023Second-generation QCCS rollout completed

   The staged second-generation QCCS rollout added direct microwave generation and scalability of up to 448 channels.

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2. 2022GHFLI and SHFLI launched

   The two lock-in amplifiers extended the brand's maximum operating frequencies to 1.8 GHz and 8.5 GHz.

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3. 2021Acquired by Rohde & Schwarz

   Rohde & Schwarz wholly acquired Zurich Instruments in June 2021.

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4. 2018First Quantum Computing Control System commercialized

   The first QCCS integrated an HDAWG arbitrary waveform generator, UHFQA quantum analyzer, and PQSC programmable quantum system controller.

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5. 2016Quantum instrumentation development begins

   Zurich Instruments began developing quantum-computing instrumentation in collaboration with research groups at ETH Zurich and Delft University of Technology.

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6. 2015Lock-in amplifier portfolio expanded

   The UHFLI and MFLI had joined the portfolio, extending the company's coverage across low-frequency and high-frequency measurement applications.

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7. 2009HF2LI introduced

   The company launched the HF2LI, a 50 MHz lock-in amplifier and its first commercial product.

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8. 2008Zurich Instruments founded as an ETH Zurich spin-off

   Three ETH Zurich employees established the company to develop more capable lock-in amplifiers and related dynamic-signal measurement technology.

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A specialist, research-oriented precision-instrumentation brand combining high-performance measurement hardware with integrated software for complex dynamic-signal, quantum, and laboratory applications.

• HF2LILock-in amplifier2009

  Zurich Instruments' first commercial product, the HF2LI is a 50 MHz lock-in amplifier designed for sensitive dynamic-signal measurements. It established the company's initial product focus on extracting weak signals and supporting laboratory experiments through integrated digital instrumentation.

• UHFLILock-in amplifier

  The UHFLI expanded Zurich Instruments' lock-in amplifier offering into substantially higher-frequency measurement work. By 2015, the instrument provided coverage up to 600 MHz and was positioned for advanced research requiring fast signal analysis and flexible laboratory control.

• MFLILock-in amplifier

  The MFLI is a lock-in amplifier for low- to mid-frequency applications, with the cited product range covering direct current to 500 kHz or 5 MHz depending on configuration. It supports precision signal analysis in research environments where weak-signal recovery and software-controlled experimentation are required.

• GHFLILock-in amplifier2022

  Introduced in 2022, the GHFLI extends lock-in measurement into the microwave region, with a maximum operating frequency of 1.8 GHz. It is intended for experiments that require high-frequency dynamic-signal analysis while retaining broad low-frequency coverage.

• SHFLILock-in amplifier2022

  Introduced in 2022, the SHFLI reaches a maximum operating frequency of 8.5 GHz. It extends the lock-in amplifier concept to demanding microwave and quantum-related measurements while maintaining operation from the low-frequency end.

• Quantum Computing Control SystemQuantum-control instrumentation2018

  Zurich Instruments' QCCS combines instruments for controlling and reading out superconducting-qubit experiments. The first commercial configuration integrated the HDAWG arbitrary waveform generator, UHFQA quantum analyzer, and PQSC programmable quantum system controller. Later generations added direct microwave generation and increased channel scalability.

• LabOneInstrument-control software

  LabOne is the software environment used across Zurich Instruments products. It provides a platform-independent, web-based interface for instrument operation and offers APIs for automation, integration, measurement control, and data workflows.

• Impedance analyzers, phase-locked loops, digitizers, and boxcar averagersScientific measurement instruments

  These product families complement the lock-in amplifiers and quantum-control systems. Together they address impedance measurement, frequency and phase control, high-speed data acquisition, and specialized signal averaging in laboratory and industrial research applications.

• 2021Join Rohde & Schwarz through acquisitionM&A

  Zurich Instruments had grown as a privately owned specialist in dynamic-signal analysis and quantum instrumentation.

  What changed. Rohde & Schwarz wholly acquired Zurich Instruments in June 2021.

  Aftermath. Zurich Instruments became part of the Rohde & Schwarz group while continuing as a specialized brand based in Zurich.

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• 2016Enter quantum-computing instrumentationStrategy

  The company identified quantum computing as a strategic application area and began development with research groups at ETH Zurich and Delft University of Technology.

  What changed. Zurich Instruments invested in quantum-control instrumentation and subsequently developed an integrated control-system architecture for superconducting-qubit experiments.

  Aftermath. The initiative resulted in the commercial QCCS in 2018 and later generations with direct microwave generation and expanded channel capacity.

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• 2023Second-generation Quantum Computing Control System reaches expanded capability

  The second generation of Zurich Instruments' quantum-control system was introduced through a staged release from 2020 to 2023, adding direct microwave generation for superconducting-qubit frequencies and scalability to 448 channels.

  Product generationProduct launch
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• 2022Zurich Instruments expands lock-in amplifier range into microwave frequencies

  The company launched the GHFLI and SHFLI lock-in amplifiers, extending its product family to maximum operating frequencies of 1.8 GHz and 8.5 GHz.

  Product launchProduct generation
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• 2021Rohde & Schwarz acquires Zurich Instruments

  Rohde & Schwarz wholly acquired Zurich Instruments in June 2021. The transaction brought the Swiss specialist in dynamic-signal and quantum-control instrumentation into the privately owned test-and-measurement group.

  M&A
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1. Zurich Instruments