Fair Value Measurements (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Fair Value Measurements
Short-term investments (U.S. Government Securities and Agency Investments)	$ 396,228	$ 338,851
Forward exchange contracts \| Other current assets
Fair Value Measurements
Mark-to-market adjustment on forward exchange contracts	18
Level 2 \| Forward exchange contracts \| Estimate of fair value measurement \| Other current assets
Fair Value Measurements
Mark-to-market adjustment on forward exchange contracts	18
Recurring \| Estimate of fair value measurement
Fair Value Measurements
Total	470,401
Recurring \| Forward exchange contracts \| Estimate of fair value measurement
Fair Value Measurements
Mark-to-market adjustment on forward exchange contracts	18
Recurring \| Money market funds, U.S. Government Securities and Agency Investments \| Estimate of fair value measurement
Fair Value Measurements
Cash equivalents (money market funds, U.S. Government Securities and Agency Investments)	74,229	118,278
Total		457,518
Recurring \| U.S. Government Securities and Agency Investments \| Estimate of fair value measurement
Fair Value Measurements
Short-term investments (U.S. Government Securities and Agency Investments)	396,154	339,240
Recurring \| Level 1
Fair Value Measurements
Total	470,383
Recurring \| Level 1 \| Money market funds, U.S. Government Securities and Agency Investments
Fair Value Measurements
Cash equivalents (money market funds, U.S. Government Securities and Agency Investments)	74,229	118,278
Total		457,518
Recurring \| Level 1 \| U.S. Government Securities and Agency Investments
Fair Value Measurements
Short-term investments (U.S. Government Securities and Agency Investments)	396,154	$ 339,240
Recurring \| Level 2
Fair Value Measurements
Total	18
Recurring \| Level 2 \| Forward exchange contracts
Fair Value Measurements
Mark-to-market adjustment on forward exchange contracts	$ 18

Fair value portion of probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482106/820-10-50-2

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482106/820-10-50-2

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482106/820-10-50-2

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482106/820-10-50-3

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringAndNonrecurringBasisLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of investments including trading securities, available-for-sale securities, held-to-maturity securities, and short-term investments classified as other and current.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(8))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480566/210-10-S99-1

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(5))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479853/942-210-S99-1

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(4))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479853/942-210-S99-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The net change in the difference between the fair value and the carrying value, or in the comparative fair values, of derivative instruments, including options, swaps, futures, and forward contracts, held at each balance sheet date, that was included in earnings for the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-SubTopic 10
-Topic 230
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147482740/230-10-45-28

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 220
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6-07(7)(c)(3))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483575/946-220-S99-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 220
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6-07(7)(c)(5))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483575/946-220-S99-1

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 220
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6-07(7)(c)(6))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483575/946-220-S99-1

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 220
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6-07(7)(c)(7))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483575/946-220-S99-1

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 320
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 5A
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-13A(Column F))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480032/946-320-S99-5A

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrealizedGainLossOnDerivatives
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AntidilutiveSecuritiesExcludedFromComputationOfEarningsPerShareByAntidilutiveSecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherCurrentAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis=us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis=us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis=acls_MoneyMarketFundsUsGovernmentSecuritiesAndAgencyInvestmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis=us-gaap_USTreasuryAndGovernmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: