Abstract: There is provided a plasma processing apparatus that converts a gas supplied into a processing container into a plasma to process a substrate, the plasma processing apparatus including: a microwave introduction window disposed in each of a plurality of openings formed in a ceiling wall of the processing container, the microwave introduction window being configured to supply power of microwaves into the processing container; and a plurality of grooves formed on the ceiling wall to surround the openings respectively, wherein widths between the grooves and the openings are not uniform with respect to circumferential directions of the openings.

Abstract: A film deposition method includes steps of: placing a substrate in a substrate receiving area of a susceptor provided in a vacuum chamber; evacuating the vacuum chamber; alternately supplying plural kinds of reaction gases to the substrate in the substrate receiving area from corresponding reaction gas supplying parts thereby to form a thin film on the substrate; supplying plasma including a chemical component that reacts with second reaction gas adsorbed on the substrate from a plasma generation part to the substrate when the thin film is being formed, thereby to alter the thin film on the substrate; and changing plasma intensity of the plasma supplied to the substrate, at a predetermined point of time to a different plasma intensity of the plasma that is generated and supplied to the substrate by the plasma generation part before the predetermined point of time.

Abstract: There is provided a method for easily determining an undifferentiated state of pluripotent stem cells without relying on the judgment of a skilled technician. The method includes: a step of evaluating an undifferentiated state of pluripotent stem cells based on a time-dependent change in a variation value of an extracellular metabolite contained in a culture medium in which the pluripotent stem cells are cultured, wherein the extracellular metabolite is at least one selected from a group consisting of L-glutamic acid, L-alanine and ammonia.

Abstract: Gas is circulated in an entire transportation space. A robot transport device includes a transportation space in which a transport robot is provided and circulation passages by which gas in the transportation space is circulated. Around the transportation space, surrounding spaces are provided. To these surrounding spaces, an object is transported by the transport robot. The transportation space communicates with each of the surrounding spaces via each of openings. The circulation passages are provided to sandwich the transportation space to avoid a working area of the transport robot, including the openings. The circulation passages are provided in pillar portions forming the transportation space.

Abstract: A cell-holding container comprises: an elastic body for holding cells including at least any one of adherent cells at least one selected from the group consisting of stem cells, progenitor cells, somatic cells and germ cells, and suspended cells at least one selected from the group consisting of blood cells, T cells and B cells; and the elastic body is formed of a rubber material containing a rubber component including an additional crosslinking silicone rubber and is able to hold the cells.

Abstract: In order to culture the pluripotent stem cell which can be variously differentiated, while preventing the cross contamination between the different cells and securing the safety of the products; extending a main transport path 31 outwardly from a stem cell conditioning area 20, the stem cell conditioning area 20 including a treatment room 21 for inducing pluripotent stem cell from a somatic cell or an egg cell, or a treatment room 21 for receiving and conditioning pluripotent stem cell induced in other facilities; branching at least one branched transport path 32 from the main transport path 31; and arranging along each branched transport path 32, a cell culture area 40 including culture rooms 41 to 44 for culturing the stem cell and an analysis room 45 for analyzing the cultured cell, respectively.

Abstract: A cell culture container characterized by being equipped with a container main body and a flat plate attached onto one surface of the container main body, wherein the container main body is equipped with an inflow port through which a liquid can flow into the container main body, a passage through which the liquid flowing into the container main body from the inflow port can pass, and an outflow port through which the liquid passing through the passage can flow out from the container main body, and wherein, on the bottom surface of the passage, multiple cell-seeding areas in which cells passing through the passage can be seeded are arranged side by side along the passage.

Abstract: The present invention is a method in which stem cells for which a differentiation state is unknown or cells that are differentiation-induced from the stem cells are use as test cells, and a differentiation state of the test cells is evaluated based on an abundance of a predetermined indicator substance in a culture supernatant of the test cells. The indicator substance is at least one compound selected from a group that consists of ornithine, 2-aminoadipic acid, deoxycytidine, glutamic acid, tryptophan, asparagine, alanine, cystine, hypoxanthine, uridine, aspartic acid, arginine, 2-hydroxybutyric acid, 2-hydroxyisovaleric acid, 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid, urea, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-aminobenzoic acid, ribonic acid, kynurenine, crystathionine, threonic acid, pyruvic acid, putrescine, ascorbic acid, riboflavin, serine, cysteine, orotic acid, and citric acid.

Abstract: A laboratory system has a plurality of bottom opening sample transport pods for carrying one or more cassettes with cell culture vessels therein may have an aseptic interior environment and may cooperate with cell culture growing/processing stations having load ports allowing transfer of the cassettes with cell culture vessels into the stations while maintaining the aseptic integrity of the interior of the pods and the cassette and cell culture vessels. Internal environmental monitoring and control, purging, and tracking as well as automated robotic operation may be provided.

Abstract: Gas is circulated in an entire transportation space. A robot transport device includes a transportation space in which a transport robot is provided and circulation passages by which gas in the transportation space is circulated. Around the transportation space, surrounding spaces are provided. To these surrounding spaces, an object is transported by the transport robot. The transportation space communicates with each of the surrounding spaces via each of openings. The circulation passages are provided to sandwich the transportation space to avoid a working area of the transport robot, including the openings. The circulation passages are provided in pillar portions forming the transportation space.

Abstract: A cell-holding container comprises: an elastic body for holding cells including at least any one of adherent cells at least one selected from the group consisting of stem cells, progenitor cells, somatic cells and germ cells, and suspended cells at least one selected from the group consisting of blood cells, T cells and B cells; and the elastic body is formed of a rubber material containing a rubber component including an additional crosslinking silicone rubber and is able to hold the cells.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber; a mounting table configured to mount thereon a target object in the chamber; a plasma source configured to introduce microwaves into the chamber through a ceiling wall of the chamber and generate a surface wave plasma in the chamber; a first gas introduction unit configured to introduce a first gas into the chamber from the ceiling wall; and a second gas introduction unit configured to introduce a second gas into the chamber from a predetermined height position between the ceiling wall and the mounting table. The second gas introduction unit has a plurality of nozzles extending from the ceiling wall toward the mounting table and arranged on a same circumference at a regular interval. Each of the nozzles discharges the second gas toward a nozzle adjacent thereto.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber; a mounting table configured to mount thereon a target object in the chamber; a plasma source configured to introduce microwaves into the chamber through a ceiling wall of the chamber and generate a surface wave plasma in the chamber; a first gas introduction unit configured to introduce a first gas into the chamber from the ceiling wall; and a second gas introduction unit configured to introduce a second gas into the chamber from a predetermined height position between the ceiling wall and the mounting table. The second gas introduction unit has a plurality of nozzles extending from the ceiling wall toward the mounting table and arranged on a same circumference at a regular interval. Each of the nozzles discharges the second gas toward a nozzle adjacent thereto.

Abstract: A film deposition apparatus includes a vacuum chamber into which first and second gases are sequentially supplied for a plural times, a rotation table including a first surface having a receiving area and rotating the receiving area inside the vacuum chamber, a first part supplying the first gas to a first region, a second part supplying the second gas to a second region separated from the first region in a peripheral direction of the rotation table via a separation region, a plasma gas part supplying a plasma generation gas into a plasma region inside the vacuum chamber, an antenna facing the first surface of the rotation table and generating plasma from the plasma generation gas inside a plasma space by inductive coupling, and a faraday shield being grounded and provided between the antenna and the plasma space and including slits aligned in a direction perpendicularly intersecting the antenna.

Abstract: A film deposition method includes steps of: placing a substrate in a substrate receiving area of a susceptor provided in a vacuum chamber; evacuating the vacuum chamber; alternately supplying plural kinds of reaction gases to the substrate in the substrate receiving area from corresponding reaction gas supplying parts thereby to form a thin film on the substrate; supplying plasma including a chemical component that reacts with second reaction gas adsorbed on the substrate from a plasma generation part to the substrate when the thin film is being formed, thereby to alter the thin film on the substrate; and changing plasma intensity of the plasma supplied to the substrate, at a predetermined point of time to a different plasma intensity of the plasma that is generated and supplied to the substrate by the plasma generation part before the predetermined point of time.

Abstract: There is provided a method for easily determining an undifferentiated state of pluripotent stem cells without relying on the judgment of a skilled technician. The method includes: a step of evaluating an undifferentiated state of pluripotent stem cells based on a time-dependent change in a variation value of an extracellular metabolite contained in a culture medium in which the pluripotent stem cells are cultured, wherein the extracellular metabolite is at least one selected from a group consisting of L-glutamic acid, L-alanine and ammonia.

Abstract: A cell separation device imparts vibration to a cell culture film having a front surface to which cells adhere, from a rear surface side of the film, and consequently separates the cells from the film. The device includes an ultrasonic probe having an ultrasonically-vibrating vibrator, a frame disposed to surround the vibrator and a first detection part configured to detect a force applied to the frame in a specified direction. The vibrator selectively imparts ultrasonic vibration to specified cells adhering to the front surface of the film. Based on a detection result obtained by the first detection part, the frame is pushed until the force applied from the rear surface of the film to the frame reaches a specified magnitude. Thereafter, the vibrator ultrasonically vibrates in a state in which the frame makes contact with the rear surface of the film.

Abstract: A cell culture container characterized by being equipped with a container main body and a flat plate attached onto one surface of the container main body, wherein the container main body is equipped with an inflow port through which a liquid can flow into the container main body, a passage through which the liquid flowing into the container main body from the inflow port can pass, and an outflow port through which the liquid passing through the passage can flow out from the container main body, and wherein, on the bottom surface of the passage, multiple cell-seeding areas in which cells passing through the passage can be seeded are arranged side by side along the passage.

Abstract: In order to culture the pluripotent stem cell which can be variously differentiated, while preventing the cross contamination between the different cells and securing the safety of the products; extending a main transport path 31 outwardly from a stem cell conditioning area 20, the stem cell conditioning area 20 including a treatment room 21 for inducing pluripotent stem cell from a somatic cell or an egg cell, or a treatment room 21 for receiving and conditioning pluripotent stem cell induced in other facilities; branching at least one branched transport path 32 from the main transport path 31; and arranging along each branched transport path 32, a cell culture area 40 including culture rooms 41 to 44 for culturing the stem cell and an analysis room 45 for analyzing the cultured cell, respectively.

Abstract: A cell management system includes an automatic culture system installed in a cell culture factory and provided with an automatic culture device for automatically culturing cells and a cell management part for managing information on a state of the cells being cultured; a memory part connected to the automatic culture system and for storing information on the state of the cells being cultured; and an external computer installed in a side of a cell ordering party and connected to the memory part. The automatic culture system sends the information on the state of the cells managed by the cell management part to the memory part in real time. The external computer includes a display part for displaying the information on the state of the cells stored in the memory part thereon and a manipulation part for ordering the cells under culture within the cell culture factory.