About Us

The Berkeley Nucleonics Story

Berkeley Nucleonics Corporation (BNC) is a leading manufacturer of precision electronic instrumentation for test and measurement, radiation detection, nuclear research, and RF/microwave. From signal generators to spectrum analyzers, we offer the widest range of signal generation and analysis tools from a single manufacturer. Our application engineers are always available to discuss your specific needs. BNC happily offers product demonstrations if you’re interested in testing out a unit on site to make sure that it is right for you.

Our corporate headquarters are in San Rafael, California, with additional manufacturing facilities and sales offices located throughout the United States.

We maintain an international network of manufacturer’s representatives—including Optilas, Canberra Packard, ORTEC, Coherent, and Seiko—to provide for precision instrumentation needs globally.

Founded in 1963

BNC initially developed custom pulse generators. We became known for meeting the most stringent requirements for high precision and stability, and for producing instruments of unsurpassed reliability and performance. We continue to hold a leadership position as a developer of custom pulse, signal, light, and function generators. Our designs incorporate the latest innovations in software and hardware engineering, surface mount production, and automated testing procedures. The Model 625A, our first ARB/Function Generator received several electronics industry awards, including the Cahners Electronics Group’s ”T&M Product of the Year” award. Today our Arbitrary Waveform Generators offer industry leading modulation bandwidth and memory depth.

BNC’s Innovative Engineering

BNC’s innovative engineering has resulted in a highly regarded line of digital delay generators (DDGs). To date, we have introduced 15 different DDGs with delay resolution as low as 250 femtoseconds. Annual media surveys consistently rank us in the top echelon of producers of DDGs. Other noteworthy product lines include our Light Pulse Generators and our RF Signal Generators. Our R&D is highly focused on compact solutions without compromising performance.

The Nuclear Products Group

In the mid-1990s, BNC created the Nuclear Products Group to develop radiation detection and analysis instrumentation. In 1997, we introduced the SAM 935 Surveillance and Measurement system, the first real-time analysis tool for identification and quantification of multiple radionuclides. Our nuclear spectroscopy products now serve a broad cross-section of industries involved in environmental monitoring, health physics, emergency response, and power generation. We offer an accredited program of training seminars in radiation detection, surveillance, and measurement at locations across the U.S. and online, providing attendees with a comprehensive understanding of principles and techniques for isotope identification and analysis. We were proud to co-sponsor a training seminar on radiological detection for emergency response and anti-terrorism with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in fall 2002. As of 2020, Berkeley Nucleonics has been on site at over 165 private, state and federal locations to perform user training.

Just last year, Berkeley Nucleonics participated in several major radiological response trainings. The Bay Guardian, a cross-departmental event in northern California and The Continuing Challenge, a workshop overseen by various HAZMAT officials from the western US. Learn more here: participation in 2018.

Furthermore, we are a faithful contributor to groups such as the California Boating Safety Officers Association (CBSOA), by providing demo equipment for training, and also instructing on the units themselves when needed. We have similar interactions on a regular basis with CAL OES (Office of Emergency Services), several DOE National Labs (LLNL, LANL, Argonne National Lab, as examples), and law enforcement agencies. Customers will appreciate the personal touch our engineer and spectroscopists provide in all our training and demo events.

2008 Budget Constraints

When the technical community faced budget constraints in 2008, BNC responded with a line of low cost test equipment for general research applications. Our sub-$2000 product line offers features needed by the bench test engineer without the costly components found in higher priced products. This line includes a power supply, oscilloscope, arbitrary waveform generator, universal frequency counter and two spectrum analyzers. New products in recent years include portable and touchscreen oscilliscopes and a budget Digital Delay Generator with a virtual front panel.

Meeting the Requirements of the Most Demanding Radiation Counting Applications.

BNC offers a full range of standard, specialized, and custom-built scintillation detectors designed to meet the requirements of the most demanding radiation counting applications. For almost 20 years, we have been working on-site with customers to develop unique, custom designs for a wide variety of nuclear, health physics, and other applications. BNC’s scintillation detector family delivers high performance in special designs uniue to the application. For young engineers new to the nuclear detection industry, our academy offers excellent entry level courses on the basics of scintillator technology, comlete with CEU and a quiz/certificate. For an even deeper dive, enjoy one of many webinars available on demand.

Fukushima

BNC responded to the Fukushima accident in 2011 by sending products, trainers, and technicians to Japan to work with our local partners and develop processes for radiation screening. Private organizations and governmental agencies in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have recognized BNC for our contributions to the screening and cleanup processes. Equipment was also donated by Berkeley Nucleonics directly to end users and humanitarian organizations on the ground in Japan.
Crews using the SAM 940 in Fukushima.

Our partners in Japan quickly translated our support documentation and radiation safety training materials into Japanese, making product use available for non-technical users of personal radiation detectors.

BNC Scientific

Also in 2011, BNC Scientific grew rapidly to support our customers’ complex applications with some of the most advanced products offered by other manufacturers. BNC Scientific operates as a manufacturer’s representative in the USA for market-leading technologies in microwave signal generation, large distributed timing systems, advanced spectrum analyzers, and ultra-high frequency arbitrary waveform generators. This wider range of niche products coupled with BNC’s many new models has boosted our support team’s ability to cooperatively develop solutions. In 2012, we combined BNC production with additional product lines to offer turn-key solutions to complex signal generation and analysis applications. BNC leveraging state-of-the-art components and virtual front panels to disrupt industry norms and provide cost-effective solutions at the highest technical levels. Housed in the same headquarters in Northern California, BNC Scientific has maintained BNC’s trademark principles of product reliability, ultra high performance and attractive pricing.

Berkeley Nucleonics Academy

In 2018 we launched the Berkeley Nucleonics Academy, an online learning institution which gives engineering students and technical staff who are new to the field a one-of-a-kind opportunity to learn about the theories, concepts, and terminology behind many of our instruments and the fields where they are applied. Our courses are free to all college students. We aggressively expanded the Academy in 2020 in response to the global coronavirus pandemic, adding new course offerings in nuclear safety, RF/microwave, and materials science.

We also introduced a series of webinars to reach customers and interested parties virtually. These webinars are a convenient way to connect with BNC staff and outside experts for concise presentations on focused topics that typically last about an hour. Videos of past webinars are available on demand on YouTube.

BNC Acquires Directed Energy, Inc.

In 2021, BNC acquired the high voltage and high current pulse generator lines from Directed Energy. These new products extend the range of signal sources out to 10,000V, and further establish BNC as the world’s most diverse signal source company with the broadest range of signal generation products. The DEI products also include very high current laser diode drivers. The high current benchtop designs offer up to 450 Amp of drive current and industry leading rise times. BNC offers a flexible high voltage or high current solution in an open board, small OEM module or traditional benchtop design.

60 Years in Business

For 60 years, BNC has remained committed to our tradition of technical excellence. We tackle even the toughest applications, ones that are often dismissed by the competition.

Through aggressive R&D efforts and ongoing strengthening of our support channels, we provide remarkable products and a high level of responsiveness to the rapidly changing technological priorities of our customers. As always, we encourage you to give us a call. We are happy to discuss the best technology for your application.

Enjoy this short interview with the President: Microwave Journal’s Executive Interview.

BNC | GIDEP MEMBER

Berkeley Nucleonics is a proud member of GIDEP (Government-Industry Data Exchange Program.) GIDEP is a united enterprise between industries like ourselves and the government. They aim to decrease or eliminate the purchasing price of resources used to manufacture complex systems by providing essential details during research, development, production, design, and other stages of the system or equipment life cycle.

Being part of GIDEP helps improve the total quality, cost, and authenticity of components and parts used to develop and manufacture our industry-leading equipment.