Sensirion Holding AG, a leading provider of environmental and flow sensor solutions, completes the acquisition of IRsweep AG, based in Staefa, Switzerland, an innovative provider of optical sensing solutions. Sensirion has been a minority investor of IRsweep with 33 % of the shares since 2017. With this acquisition, Sensirion expands its optical sensing technology portfolio from components and modules to stand-alone infrared spectrometers for industrial and research applications.

Many spectroscopic applications in industry and research simultaneously require high spectral resolution and speed. IRsweep’s infrared spectrometers based on its QCL frequency comb technology allow to study fast processes very accurately, such as protein dynamics or industrial reaction monitoring, without the need for moving parts. 

IRsweep was founded in 2014, has eleven employees, and offers compact spectrometers based on its QCL frequency comb technology. Core applications of IRsweep’s technology include the study of fast reaction kinetics in research and development applications. This acquisition allows Sensirion to strengthen its optical sensing technology portfolio enabling long-term developments of cost-efficient sensing solutions based on optical measurement principles, such as trace gas analysis in environmental monitoring or the detection of methane leaks.

Andreas Hugi, Markus Mangold and Markus Geiser, IRsweep’s founding team comment: “We are excited to fully become a part of the Sensirion group, which will support us in expanding our reach and addressing new applications.” The three founders will continue to act as IRsweep’s proven management team.

“Sensirion very cordially welcomes all IRsweep employees and looks forward to joint developments of optical sensing solutions for air or water quality measurements,” says Sensirion CEO Marc von Waldkirch. (Source: Sensirion)

Further reading: Markus Geiser, Raphael Horvath & Jakob Hayden: QCL Dual‐Comb Spectroscopy Matures for Applications: What reaction monitoring and process analytics can gain from integrated QCL mid‐IR dual‐comb spectrometers, PhotonicsViews 18(1), 36-39, February 2021, 10.1002/phvs.202100024