Significant Accounting Policies - Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangibles (Details)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Significant Accounting Policies
Number of trading days used in adjusted market capitalization calculation	10 days

Number of trading days for calculating the average share price of the Company’s common stock prior to the measurement date used in adjusted market capitalization calculation.

No definition available.

Name:	veco_NumberOfTradingDaysConsideredToCalculateMarketCapitalization
Namespace Prefix:	veco_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration