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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 02, 2014
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]      
Gain on pooled patents agreement $ 21,000,000sqnm_GainLossonAlternativeDisputeResolution $ 0sqnm_GainLossonAlternativeDisputeResolution  
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements, Determination of Selling Price, Amount 21,000,000us-gaap_RevenueRecognitionMultipleDeliverableArrangementsDeterminationOfSellingPriceAmount 0us-gaap_RevenueRecognitionMultipleDeliverableArrangementsDeterminationOfSellingPriceAmount  
Collaborative Arrangement | Chinese University of Hong Kong      
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]      
Collaborative Arrangement, Aggregate Consideration, Up-front Payment     6,150,000sqnm_CollaborativeArrangementAggregateConsiderationUpfrontPayment
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Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements, Determination of Selling Price, Amount     43,850,000us-gaap_RevenueRecognitionMultipleDeliverableArrangementsDeterminationOfSellingPriceAmount
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= sqnm_ChineseUniversityofHongKongMember
/ us-gaap_TypeOfArrangementAxis
= us-gaap_CollaborativeArrangementMember
Physical Samples | Collaborative Arrangement | Chinese University of Hong Kong      
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]      
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements, Determination of Selling Price, Amount     21,000,000us-gaap_RevenueRecognitionMultipleDeliverableArrangementsDeterminationOfSellingPriceAmount
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Settlements Of Claims And Disputes | Collaborative Arrangement | Chinese University of Hong Kong      
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]      
Revenue Recognition, Multiple-deliverable Arrangements, Determination of Selling Price, Amount     $ 1,850,000us-gaap_RevenueRecognitionMultipleDeliverableArrangementsDeterminationOfSellingPriceAmount
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