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Investments in Privately-held Companies (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Summary of investments [Abstract]      
Income allocated to minority interests $ 125,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest $ 205,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest  
Equity investments classified as other assets 15,128,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent   14,975,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
Investments in unconsolidated privately-held entities, included in other assets 200,000us-gaap_CostMethodInvestments   200,000us-gaap_CostMethodInvestments
AXT, Inc. [Member]      
Summary of investments [Abstract]      
Gross equity earnings (losses) from minority-owned joint ventures that are not consolidated, recorded as other income 957,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentSummarizedFinancialInformationNetIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_ParentMember
2,119,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentSummarizedFinancialInformationNetIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_ParentMember
 
Equity Method Investments [Member]      
Summary of investments [Abstract]      
Equity method investment by parent 8,147,000axti_EquityMethodInvestmentByParent
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
  8,095,000axti_EquityMethodInvestmentByParent
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
Number of equity investment entities 3axti_NumberOfEquityInvestmentEntities
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
  3axti_NumberOfEquityInvestmentEntities
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
Equity investments classified as other assets 8,100,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
  8,100,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
Gross equity earnings (losses) from minority-owned joint ventures that are not consolidated, recorded as other income 200,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentSummarizedFinancialInformationNetIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
487,000us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentSummarizedFinancialInformationNetIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
 
Joint Ventures [Member]      
Summary of investments [Abstract]      
Number of consolidated joint ventures 3axti_NumberOfConsolidatedJointVentures
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember
   
Income from three consolidated joint ventures 600,000axti_IncomeLossFromConsolidatedJointVentures
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember
800,000axti_IncomeLossFromConsolidatedJointVentures
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember
 
Income allocated to minority interests 125,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember
205,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember
 
Net income from joint ventures attributable to parent 427,000axti_NetIncomeLossFromJointVenturesAttributableToParent
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember
548,000axti_NetIncomeLossFromJointVenturesAttributableToParent
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember
 
Minority investment in consolidated joint venture, included in other assets 4,300,000us-gaap_MinorityInterestInJointVentures
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember
  4,000,000us-gaap_MinorityInterestInJointVentures
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember
Majority-Owned Subsidiaries [Member]      
Summary of investments [Abstract]      
Investments, consolidated 5,269,000axti_InvestmentsInJointVenturesConsolidated
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
  5,269,000axti_InvestmentsInJointVenturesConsolidated
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Beijing JiYa Semiconductor Material Co., Ltd [Member] | Majority-Owned Subsidiaries [Member]      
Summary of investments [Abstract]      
Investments, consolidated 3,331,000axti_InvestmentsInJointVenturesConsolidated
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_BeijingJiyaSemiconductorMaterialCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
  3,331,000axti_InvestmentsInJointVenturesConsolidated
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_BeijingJiyaSemiconductorMaterialCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Percentage of ownership, consolidated method (in hundredths) 46.00%us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityOwnershipPercentage
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_BeijingJiyaSemiconductorMaterialCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
   
Nanjing Jin Mei Gallium Co., Ltd [Member] | Majority-Owned Subsidiaries [Member]      
Summary of investments [Abstract]      
Investments, consolidated 592,000axti_InvestmentsInJointVenturesConsolidated
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_NanjingJinMeiGalliumCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
  592,000axti_InvestmentsInJointVenturesConsolidated
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_NanjingJinMeiGalliumCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Percentage of ownership, consolidated method (in hundredths) 83.00%us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityOwnershipPercentage
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_NanjingJinMeiGalliumCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
   
Beijing BoYu Semiconductor Vessel Craftwork Technology Co., Ltd [Member] | Majority-Owned Subsidiaries [Member]      
Summary of investments [Abstract]      
Investments, consolidated 1,346,000axti_InvestmentsInJointVenturesConsolidated
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_BeijingBoyuSemiconductorVesselCraftworkTechnologyCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
  1,346,000axti_InvestmentsInJointVenturesConsolidated
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_BeijingBoyuSemiconductorVesselCraftworkTechnologyCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Percentage of ownership, consolidated method (in hundredths) 70.00%us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityOwnershipPercentage
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_BeijingBoyuSemiconductorVesselCraftworkTechnologyCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
   
Donghai County Dongfang High Purity Electronic Materials Co., Ltd [Member] | Equity Method Investments [Member]      
Summary of investments [Abstract]      
Equity method investment by parent 1,682,000axti_EquityMethodInvestmentByParent
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_DonghaiCountyDongfangHighPurityElectronicMaterialsCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
  1,723,000axti_EquityMethodInvestmentByParent
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_DonghaiCountyDongfangHighPurityElectronicMaterialsCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
Percentage of ownership, equity method (in hundredths) 46.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_DonghaiCountyDongfangHighPurityElectronicMaterialsCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
   
Xilingol Tongli Germanium Co. Ltd [Member] | Equity Method Investments [Member]      
Summary of investments [Abstract]      
Equity method investment by parent 5,440,000axti_EquityMethodInvestmentByParent
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_XilingolTongliGermaniumCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
  5,351,000axti_EquityMethodInvestmentByParent
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_XilingolTongliGermaniumCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
Percentage of ownership, equity method (in hundredths) 25.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_XilingolTongliGermaniumCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
   
Emeishan Jia Mei High Purity Metals Co., Ltd [Member] | Equity Method Investments [Member]      
Summary of investments [Abstract]      
Equity method investment by parent $ 1,025,000axti_EquityMethodInvestmentByParent
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_EmeishanJiaMeiHighPurityMetalsCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
  $ 1,021,000axti_EquityMethodInvestmentByParent
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_EmeishanJiaMeiHighPurityMetalsCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
Percentage of ownership, equity method (in hundredths) 25.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= axti_EmeishanJiaMeiHighPurityMetalsCoLtdMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember