CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Revenue
Product	$ 362,404	$ 431,961	$ 611,117
Services	88,548	87,490	76,988
Total revenue	450,952	519,451	688,105
Cost of revenue
Product	243,709	283,377	411,610
Services	61,261	62,588	53,474
Total cost of revenue	304,970	345,965	465,084
Gross profit	145,982	173,486	223,021
Operating expenses
Research and development	48,991	47,464	39,846
Selling, general and administrative	99,545	101,223	102,542
Restructuring and other charges	6,465	3,275	1,036
Pension settlement	0	8,937	0
In-process research and development	0	3,026	0
Total operating expenses	155,001	163,925	143,424
Operating income (loss)	(9,019)	9,561	79,597
Interest income	1,032	1,213	1,153
Interest expense	(2)	(14)	(65)
Gain on sale of contract manufacturing business	0	0	45,009
Other income, net	1,227	660	1,882
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of joint ventures	(6,762)	11,420	127,576
Income tax provision (benefit)	(2,170)	(123,282)	1,954
Income (loss) before equity in earnings of joint ventures	(4,592)	134,702	125,622
Equity in earnings of joint ventures	2,442	2,133	4,815
Net income (loss)	(2,150)	136,835	130,437
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(65)	(46)	(52)
Net income (loss) attributable to Brooks Automation, Inc.	$ (2,215)	$ 136,789	$ 130,385
Basic net income (loss) per share attributable to Brooks Automation, Inc. common stockholders	$ (0.03)	$ 2.10	$ 2.02
Diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to Brooks Automation, Inc. common stockholders	$ (0.03)	$ 2.08	$ 2.01
Dividend declared per share	$ 0.32	$ 0.32	$ 0.08
Weighted-average shares used in computing earnings (loss) per share
Basic (shares)	65,912	65,128	64,549
Diluted (shares)	65,912	65,722	65,003