Gaertner Scientific Corp.

The Gaertner Scientific Corporation began as a small scientific shop established by William Gaertner in 1896 on Chicago’s Southside. The company, originally known as Wm. Gaertner & Co., manufactured astronomical and astrophysical measuring instruments for the Yerkes Observatory and interferometers for Professors Michelson and Stratton at the University of Chicago.

In 1923 the company constructed it's new building at 1201 Wrightwood Ave on Chicago’s Northside and incorporated under the name of Gaertner Scientific Corporation. During this period the Toolmakers microscope, precision slides and the polarizing spectrometer (ellipsometer) were developed. When Mr. Gaertner passed away in 1949 at the age of 84 he left the company in trust to the University of Chicago.   In 1969 the company was sold to American Machine & Science Inc. who in turn sold it to the present management in 1978.  The company has since relocated to newer facilities in Skokie, Illinois just outside of Chicago.

Since it’s founding, the company has been continuously engaged in the design and manufacture of a variety of precision scientific instruments for use in research, industrial, educational and government laboratories. Our main products are ellipsometers for thin film measurement, measuring microscopes for dimensional measurements as well as other specialized optical instruments. We are proud of our past accomplishments, our long commitment to quality instrumentation and of our many satisfied customers worldwide.