Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba

Tokyo Shibaura Electric Co., Ltd.

Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

Other

National Institute for Materials Science

Rohm Co., Ltd.

Speedfam Co Ltd

Transparent Inc.

Bridgestone Corporation

Citizen Watch Company, Ltd.

Japan Science and Technology Agency

Yasuhiro Horiike and Speedfam Co, Ltd.

Tokuda Seisakusyo, Ltd.

Yasuhiro Horiike

Haruo Okano

Makoto Sekine

Michihiko Yanagisawa

Shinya Iida

Masahiro Shibagaki

Takashi Yamazaki

Yasusuke Sumitomo

Chikai Tanaka

Shinichi Yamamoto

Kazunori Kataoka

Yukio Nagasaki

Tsunetoshi Arikado

Hidenori Otsuka

Akinori Yokogawa

Nobuo Hayasaka

Kazuo Naito

Hiromichi Horie

Teruo Okano

Nobuko Kato

Shingo Ohno

Shinji Saitoh

Kazuo Niwa

Nobuto Fukushima

Hiroki Ogawa

Takeshi Sadohara

Kazuyuki Ogawa

Masahiko Hirose

Akio Oki

Yoshio Murakami

Katsuo Kadono

Tetuo Kurisaki

A measuring chip is configured for separating and measuring a target component in a sample by rotation around first and second axes of rotation. The measuring chip includes a centrifugal separation tube that centrifugally separates the target component from the sample by rotating the measuring chip around the first axis of rotation; a first holding section installed in the bottom of the centrifugal separation tube, wherein non-target components other than the target component in the sample are introduced therein by rotation around the first axis of rotation, and the first holding section holds the non-target components during rotation around the second axis of rotation; and a measuring section connected to one end of the centrifugal separation tube that measures the non-target components introduced from the centrifugal separation tube by rotation around the second axis of rotation.

Chip using method and test chip

An object of the invention is to provide a test chip which allows efficient and convenient separation and measurement. This invention provides a measuring chip for separating and measuring a target component in a sample by rotation around first and second axes of rotation. The measuring chip includes a centrifugal separation tube that centrifugally separates the target component from the sample by rotating the measuring chip around the first axis of rotation; a first holding section installed in the bottom of the centrifugal separation tube, wherein non-target components other than the target component in the sample are introduced therein by rotation around the first axis of rotation, and the first holding section holds the non-target components during rotation around the second axis of rotation; and a measuring section connected to one end of the centrifugal separation tube that measures the non-target components introduced from the centrifugal separation tube by rotation around the second axis of rotation.

Parenchymal cells are cultivated on cultivated endothelial cells or cultivated fibroblasts which have been separated by a surface of a specific hydrophilic polymer, and which have been patterned. A culture which contains thus formed patterned spheroids of cultivated parenchymal cells is thereby provided by this invention. This culture maintains a function which is specific to the parenchymal cells over a long period of time.

Cultured cell construct which contains spheroids of cultured animal cells and the use thereof

A corpuscle/plasma separating part is disposed at the lower end of the substrate, and a sensor part connected to the corpuscle/plasma separating part is disposed at the upper end of the substrate, with a calibration solution reservoir being disposed on the lower side of the sensor part, and a calibration solution waste reservoir being disposed on the upper side of the sensor part. A first centrifugal axis is located upper to the corpuscle fraction storing part and lower to the plasma fraction storing part of the corpuscle/plasma separating part, while a second centrifugal axis is located within or close to the sensor part. Conveyance and discharge of the calibration solution can be carried out by performing centrifugation around the first centrifugal axis which is distant from the sensor part at a low speed of rotation, so that the centrifugal force exerted on the sensors would be small. During the centrifuge operation at a high speed of rotation for the separation of blood corpuscles, centrifugation can be performed around the second centrifugal axis so that the centrifugal force exerted on the sensors is small. Centrifuge operation allows separation of the blood corpuscles and blood plasma, and conveyance of the blood plasma and the calibration solution, as well as certain discharge of the calibration solution from the sensors, thereby allowing precise analysis. Any damage in the sensors due to strong centrifugal force during the separation of blood corpuscles and blood plasma can be prevented.

Blood analysis apparatus and blood analysis method

A blood analysis device for centrifugally separating plasma in a channel, wherein conveyance of blood, plasma and calibration liquid is effected within the device without using a pump or the like. The calibrator solution is reliably discharged from a sensor portion so as to make high precision analysis possible. A sensor section is provided in a plasma separating section and disposed on the side associated with a first centrifugal pressing direction as seen from a blood reservoir and a calibrator solution reservoir, while a calibrator solution waste reservoir is disposed in a second centrifugal pressing direction as seen from the plasma separating section (sensor section). The calibrator solution is conveyed to the sensor section by centrifugal operation in the first centrifugal direction. After sensor calibration, the calibrator solution can be reliably discharged from the sensor section by effecting centrifuging in the second centrifugal direction. After the calibrator solution discharge, centrifuging is effected again in the first centrifugal direction, thereby conveying the blood in the blood reservoir to the sensor section and effecting separation of blood cells and plasma. In the case of providing a plurality of sensors, a blood introducing channel from the blood reservoir is branched downwardly of a sensor groove for communication, with the blood cells being fractionated in the branch section. The individual sensors can be isolated from each other by blood cell fraction, making higher precision analysis possible.

Blood analysis device and blood analysis method

Cultured cell construct containing spheroids of cultured animal cells and utilization thereof

A wafer flattening process designed to flatten the entire surface of the wafer including the outer rim of the wafer by inserting dummy data corresponding to the data of the outer rim of the wafer in the data of the outside of the wafer, and a storage medium for the same. An area S is set at an outside position exactly an etching radius r from an outer rim Wc of the wafer Wc ahd the nozzle relative speed at the position-speed data D of points P -1 to P -3 closest to an imaginary line L passing through the point P inside the area S near the outer rim Wc is set to be the same as the nozzle relative speed of the position-speed data D of the point P Due to this, the nozzle spraying the activated species gas G moves as if along the imaginary line L and the portion of the point P is etched flat by superposition of the activated species gas G of the nozzle passing through the points P - to P - the point P and the point P

Wafer flattening process and storage medium

A wafer etching method wherein hydrogen gas, ammonia gas or mixed gas containing one of these gases is added to sulfur hexafluoride gas to suppress the occurrence of white turbidity on the surface of the wafer at the time of etching and to enable high quality mirror polishing of the wafer. In one embodiment, a mixed gas obtained by mixing SF gas G of a bomb and H gas G of a bomb in a predetermined ratio is fed to a discharge tube and a microwave M is generated from a microwave oscillator to cause plasma discharge. Further, the entire surface of the silicon wafer W can be flattened by locally etching the surface of the silicon wafer W by an activated species gas G sprayed from the nozzle portion

Wafer etching method

A wafer flattening system is provided to consecutively and automatically remove the natural oxide film from a wafer and flatten and smooth the wafer so as to improve the surface roughness of the wafer and improve the work efficiency. A step of immersing the wafer in an aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid of a natural oxide film removing device is performed so as to remove the natural oxide film, then followed by a step of locally etching the surface of the wafer at a local etching apparatus by an activated species gas produced from SF gas to flatten the surface. Then, a step of giving a mirror finish to the wafer surface by a CMP apparatus is performed to smooth it. It is also possible to perform the step of removal of the natural oxide film by spraying the entire surface of the wafer by an activated species gas produced from a mixed gas of CF gas and H gas and possible to perform the step of smoothing by spraying the entire surface of the wafer by an activated species gas produced from a mixed gas of CF gas and O gas.

Wafer flattening system

A corrosion-resistant system and method for a plasma etching apparatus are provided which are capable of reducing a corrosion or erosion phenomenon of a discharge tube, equipment and/or elements in a chamber of the plasma etching apparatus which is used for localized etching. A micro wave M is oscillated from a micro wave oscillator,toward a mixed gas of CF,and O,in a quartz discharge tube,to thereby produce plasma discharge. The micro wave oscillator,is controlled in an on-off manner by means of a pulse generator,, to thereby oscillate a pulsed micro wave M. As a result, it is possible to reduce the erosion of the quartz discharge tube,caused by an active species gas G generated by the plasma discharge. Preferably, a corrosion-resistant oil A is filled in the chamber,for preventing an X-Y drive mechanism,, etc., therein from being corroded or eroded by the active species gas G diffusing in the chamber

Corrosion-resistant system and method for a plasma etching apparatus

A wafer flattening process and system enables a reduction of the surface roughness of a wafer resulting from local etching. A silicon wafer W is brought into close proximity to a nozzle portion,to feed SF,gas to an alumina discharge tube,, a plasma generator,is used to cause plasma discharge and spray a first activated species gas from the nozzle portion,to the silicon wafer W side, an X-Y drive mechanism,is used to make the nozzle portion,scan to perform a local etching step. Then the silicon wafer W is moved away from the nozzle portion,and O,gas and CF,gas are fed to the alumina discharge tube. At this time, the O,gas is set to be greater in amount than the CF,gas. When this mixed gas is made to discharge to generate plasma, a second activated species gas diffuses from the nozzle portion,to the entire surface of the silicon wafer W. Since there is a larger amount of O radicals than F radicals, the reaction product resulting from the O radicals deposit in fine depressions causing roughness and the front surface of the silicon wafer W is smoothed.

Wafer flattening process and system

A wafer flattening process designed to flatten the entire surface of the wafer to a higher precision by projecting the fall in the etching rate at the outer peripheral portion of the wafer and forming the outer peripheral portion of the wafer thinner in advance before plasma etching the entire surface of the wafer, a wafer flattening system, and a wafer flattened by the same. The wafer flattening system is provided with a CMP apparatus,and a plasma etching apparatus,are provided. The outer peripheral portion Wb of a wafer W held by a carrier,is polished thinner than an inside portion Wc of the wafer W by the CMP apparatus,having a platen,formed with a recessed surface. Specifically, it is polished so that the maximum thickness at the outer peripheral portion Wb of the wafer W becomes not more than the minimum thickness at the inside portion Wc. Suitably thereafter, the plasma etching apparatus,locally etches the surface Wa of the wafer W to obtain a wafer W with a high flatness without any projecting portion at the outer peripheral portion Wb.

Combined CMP and plasma etching wafer flattening system

Plasma etching method and apparatus for removing relatively thick portions from wafers by etching while measuring an actual etch quantity to thereby manufacture the wafers excellent in flatness quality on a mass-production basis. A conduit 20 of a plasma generator 2 is positioned above a relatively thick portion 111 of the wafer 110 to etch away a wafer material from the relatively thick portion 111 by ejecting a fluorine gas G. A laser beam L0 is emitted from a laser displacement meter 30 of a measuring apparatus 3 to detect an interference state between a reflected light beam L1 from the relatively thick portion 111 and a reflected light beam L2 form a reflecting plate 32 and count periodical changes of the interference state. When the count value m coincides with an integral value derived by dividing a desired etch quantity by a half wavelength of the laser beam L0, etching of the relatively thick portion 111 by the fluorine gas G is terminated.

Plasma etching method and plasma etching system for carrying out the same

Method of fabricating magnetic head slider

A cleaning method for realizing uniform ashing of residues at a high efficiency by uniformly injecting neutral active species directly toward the surfaces of vulcanization residues left on a vulcanization mold is described. The method includes setting a ring-shaped cavity in face-to-face reaction with the inner surfaces of a ring-shaped vulcanization mold in a vacuum treating vessel, transmitting a microwave in the cavity, and emitting the microwave via a number of coupling slots formed in the outer side of the cavity toward the inner surfaces of the vulcanization mold whereupon a reaction gas is injected in the space of the treating vessel between the inner surfaces of the vulcanization mold and the cavity, so that a plasma including a major proportion of neutral active species generated from the reaction gas and the emitted microwave, and the elastomer residue is ashed by means of at least one gas selected from the plasma gas and a neutral active species-containing gas. A microwave generator useful for the method is also described.

Method for cleaning vulcanization mold

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Yasuhiro Horiike