Related-Party Transactions (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2011 item	Feb. 28, 2013	Feb. 29, 2012	Feb. 28, 2013	Feb. 29, 2012	Aug. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2012
Related-Party Transactions
Income recognized on patents assignment				$ 26,000	$ 26,000
Allowance for doubtful accounts		1,377,000		1,377,000		577,000
Accounts and notes receivable from related parties, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,393 and $1,405 as of February 28, 2013 and August 31, 2012, respectively		47,000		47,000		157,000
China SemiLEDs
Related-Party Transactions
Sales of goods				11,000	26,000
Rendering of services			10,000		250,000
Purchase of goods		281,000		301,000
Income recognized on patents assignment		13,000	13,000	26,000	26,000
Number of patents assigned to related party	13
Consideration received from sale of equipment						244,000
Aggregate principal amount							200,000
Charge to bad debt expense						1,405,000
Allowance for doubtful accounts		1,393,000		1,393,000		1,405,000
Accounts and notes receivable from related parties, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,393 and $1,405 as of February 28, 2013 and August 31, 2012, respectively		7,000		7,000		118,000
Other current liabilities						$ 65,000