Debt - Senior Notes (Details) - US Dollar notes under the Note Purchase Agreement $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2012 USD ($)
Debt
Senior notes		$ 240.0
Additional aggregate principal amount that may be issued	$ 600.0
Minimum percentage of original aggregate principal that may be prepaid	10.00%
Prepayment price as percentage of principal amount	100.00%
Prepayment price as percentage of principal amount, in the event of a change in control	100.00%
Maximum leverage ratio allowed	3.50
Period for interest coverage ratio	1 year
Minimum interest coverage ratio required	2.50
Priority debt as a percentage of consolidated net worth	25.00%
Actual leverage ratio	1.0
Actual interest coverage ratio	14.9
Minimum
Debt
Written notice period to holders of the Notes	30 days
Maximum
Debt
Written notice period to holders of the Notes	60 days
3.16% Series 2012A Senior Notes, Tranche A, due January 18, 2017
Debt
Senior notes		$ 20.0
Interest rate, stated percentage		3.16%
3.74% Series 2012A Senior Notes, Tranche B, due January 18, 2019
Debt
Senior notes		$ 15.0
Interest rate, stated percentage		3.74%
4.31% Series 2012A Senior Notes, Tranche C, due January 18, 2022
Debt
Senior notes		$ 105.0
Interest rate, stated percentage		4.31%
4.46% Series 2012A Senior Notes, Tranche D, due January 18, 2024
Debt
Senior notes		$ 100.0
Interest rate, stated percentage		4.46%

The entity's actual interest coverage ratio, calculated as defined in the terms of the debt agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	brkr_DebtInstrumentActualInterestCoverageRatio
Namespace Prefix:	brkr_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The entity's actual leverage ratio, calculated as defined in the terms of the debt agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	brkr_DebtInstrumentActualLeverageRatio
Namespace Prefix:	brkr_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The minimum interest coverage ratio required to be maintained under the terms of the debt agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	brkr_DebtInstrumentCovenantInterestCoverageRatio
Namespace Prefix:	brkr_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The maximum leverage ratio allowed under the terms of the debt agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	brkr_DebtInstrumentCovenantLeverageRatio
Namespace Prefix:	brkr_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the period for sending a written notice to the holders of debt in case of prepayment of the debt.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	brkr_DebtInstrumentPrepaymentNoticePeriod
Namespace Prefix:	brkr_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Minimum percentage of the original aggregate principal amount of the debt that may be prepaid.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	brkr_DebtInstrumentPrepaymentPercentageOfAggregatePrincipalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	brkr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer in the event of a change in control of the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	brkr_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentageInEventOfChangeInControl
Namespace Prefix:	brkr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the period considered for maintenance of the interest coverage ratio.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	brkr_PeriodForCovenantConsolidatedInterestCoverageRatio
Namespace Prefix:	brkr_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the maximum priority debt of the entity, expressed as a percentage of consolidated net worth, allowed under the terms of the debt agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	brkr_PriorityDebtAsPercentageOfConsolidatedNetWorth
Namespace Prefix:	brkr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34725769&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 22
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph e
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479336&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unused borrowing capacity under the long-term financing arrangement that is available to the entity as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 22
-Subparagraph b
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnusedBorrowingCapacityAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=brkr_SeniorNotes3.16PercentSeries2012ATrancheADueJanuary2017Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=brkr_SeniorNotes3.74PercentSeries2012ATrancheBDueJanuary2019Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=brkr_SeniorNotes4.31PercentSeries2012ATrancheCDueJanuary2022Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=brkr_SeniorNotes4.46PercentSeries2012ATrancheDDueJanuary2024Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: