Stock-Based Compensation (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2012 Stock options Y	Mar. 31, 2011 Stock options Y	May 31, 2010 Stock options, Bruker Corporation Stock Plan	Mar. 31, 2012 Stock options, Bruker Corporation Stock Plan Y	Oct. 31, 2009 Stock options, Bruker Energy and Supercon Technologies Stock Plan	Mar. 31, 2012 Stock options, Bruker Energy and Supercon Technologies Stock Plan Y	Mar. 31, 2012 Restricted stock Y	Mar. 31, 2011 Restricted stock
Stock-Based Compensation
Total stock-based compensation pre-tax	$ 1.9	$ 1.8	$ 1.7	$ 1.6					$ 0.2	$ 0.2
Tax benefit	0.3	0.3
Total stock-based compensation net of tax	1.6	1.5
Award vesting period, minimum (in years)			3Y		3Y		3Y
Award vesting period, maximum (in years)			5Y		5Y		5Y
Risk-free interest rate, minimum (as a percent)			1.24%	2.56%
Risk-free interest rate, maximum (as a percent)			1.78%	3.12%
Expected life (in years)			6.5	6.5
Volatility (as a percent)			55.90%	57.20%
Expected dividend yield (as a percent)			0.00%	0.00%
Number of common stock issued (in shares)					8,000,000		1,600,000
Stock option, Number of shares
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in shares)			5,096,253
Granted (in shares)			113,500
Exercised (in shares)			(220,991)
Forfeited (in shares)			(99,865)
Outstanding at the end of the period (in shares)			4,888,897					800,000
Exercisable at the end of the period (in shares)			2,615,065
Exercisable and expected to vest at the end of the period (in shares)			4,759,289
Stock options, Weighted average exercise price
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in dollars per share)			$ 10.64
Granted (in dollars per share)			$ 14.21
Exercised (in dollars per share)			$ 8.20
Forfeited (in dollars per share)			$ 13.81
Outstanding at the end of the period (in dollars per share)			$ 10.77
Exercisable at the end of the period (in dollars per share)			$ 8.90
Exercisable and expected to vest at the end of the period (in dollars per share)			$ 10.71
Stock options, Weighted average remaining contractual life (years)
Outstanding at the end of the period (in years)			6.4
Exercisable at the end of the period (in years)			5.0
Exercisable and expected to vest at the end of the period (in years)			6.3
Stock options, Aggregate intrinsic value
Exercised during the period (in dollars)			1.7
Outstanding at the end of the period (in dollars)			22.7
Exercisable at the end of the period (in dollars)			16.8
Exercisable and expected to vest at the end of the period (in dollars)			22.4
Fair value of the Company's common stock price (in dollars per share)			$ 15.31
Restricted stock, Number of shares
Outstanding at the beginning of the period (in shares)									236,232
Vested (in shares)									(24,210)
Outstanding at the end of the period (in shares)									212,022
Restricted stock, Weighted-average grant date fair value
Non-vested at the beginning of the period (in dollars per share)									$ 17.76
Vested (in dollars per share)									$ 10.01
Non-vested at the end of the period (in dollars per share)									$ 18.64
Expected pre-tax stock-based compensation expense						$ 13.0		$ 1.1	$ 3.0
Weighted average remaining service period (in years)						2.2		2.1	3.2