2.4.0.82405405 - Disclosure - STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY AND SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION EXPENSE, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (Details)truefalseIn Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specifiedfalse1false USDfalsefalse$D2013Q2QTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000913077duration2013-04-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:00numberStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0usdStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170sharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2false falsefalseD2012Q2QTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000913077duration2012-04-01T00:00:002012-06-30T00:00:00numberStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli03false USDfalsefalse$D2013Q2YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000913077duration2013-01-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:00numberStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0sharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0usdStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$4false falsefalseD2012Q2YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000913077duration2012-01-01T00:00:002012-06-30T00:00:00numberStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli01true 1affx_StockholdersEquityAndShareBasedCompensationExpenseAbstractaffx_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Stockholders Equity And Share Based Compensation Expense [Abstract]2false 2affx_CommonStockCapitalSharesReservedForFutureIssuanceEsppaffx_falsenainstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse70000007000000falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse70000007000000falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:sharesItemTypesharesAggregate number of common shares reserved for future issuance related to ESPPNo definition available.false1Shares reserve for issuance under Employee stock purchase plan (in shares)3false 2affx_EsppPurchaseConsiderationAsPercentageOfMarketValueaffx_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.850.85falsefalsefalse4falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsenum:percentItemTypepurePurchase consideration as a percentage of market value.No definition available.false0ESPP purchase consideration as percentage of market value (in hundredths)4false 2affx_EsppOfferingPeriodaffx_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse0012 monthsfalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:durationItemTypenaOffering period.No definition available.false0ESPP offering period5false 2affx_EsppNumberOfPurchasePeriodsPerOfferingPeriodaffx_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse22falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:integerItemTypeintegerNumber of purchase periods per offering period.No definition available.false0ESPP number of purchase periods per offering period6false 2affx_NumberOfMonthsInEachPurchasePeriodaffx_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse006 monthsfalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:durationItemTypenaNumber of months in a purchase period that results in a look-back for determining purchase price in the ESPPNo definition available.false0Number of months in each purchase period7false 2affx_MaximumLookBackPeriodForEmployeeStockPurchasePlanaffx_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse0012 monthsfalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:durationItemTypenaThis element represents the look-back period for employee stock purchase plan.No definition available.false0Look-back period for ESPP8false 2us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardMaximumEmployeeSubscriptionRateus-gaap_truenainstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truetruefalse0.150.15falsefalsefalse2falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.150.15falsefalsefalse4falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsenum:percentItemTypepureThe highest percentage of annual salary that an employee is permitted to utilize with respect to the plan.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 123R -Paragraph 65 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 123R -Paragraph A240 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. false0Percentage of gross compensation through payroll deductions employees can invest (in hundredths)9false 2us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardMaximumNumberOfSharesPerEmployeeus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse750750falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:sharesItemTypesharesThe highest quantity of shares an employee can purchase under the plan per period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 false1Number of shares of common stock employee permitted to purchase (in shares)10false 2affx_NumberOfParticipantsInEsppaffx_falsenainstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse308308falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse308308falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:integerItemTypeintegerNumber of employees participating in ESPP as of balance sheet dateNo definition available.false0Number of participants in ESPP11false 2affx_AllocatedShare-BasedCompensationExpenseEsppaffx_falsedebitdurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse1000000.1USD$falsetruefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse3000000.3USD$falsetruefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryRepresents the expense related to ESPP recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.No definition available.false2Allocated Share-based Compensation Expense12true 2affx_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsAndMethodologyEsppAbstractaffx_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Fair Value Assumptions And Methodology ESPP [Abstract]13false 3affx_Share-BasedCompensationArrangementByShare-BasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRateEsppaffx_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truetruefalse0.0010.001falsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.0010.001falsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.0010.001falsefalsefalse4truetruefalse0.0010.001falsefalsefalsenum:percentItemTypepureThe risk-free interest rate assumption that is used in valuing an option on its own shares for ESPP plan.No definition available.false0Risk free interest rate14false 3affx_Share-BasedCompensationArrangementByShare-BasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRateForEsppaffx_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truetruefalse0.0000.000falsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.0000.000falsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.0000.000falsefalsefalse4truetruefalse0.0000.000falsefalsefalsenum:percentItemTypepureThe estimated dividend rate (a percentage of the share price) to be paid (expected dividends) to holders of the underlying shares over the option's term for ESPP.No definition available.false0Expected dividend yield15false 3affx_Share-BasedCompensationArrangementByShare-BasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRateEsppaffx_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truetruefalse0.5260.526falsefalsefalse2truetruefalse0.670.67falsefalsefalse3truetruefalse0.5260.526falsefalsefalse4truetruefalse0.670.67falsefalsefalsenum:percentItemTypepureThe estimated measure of the percentage by which a share price is expected to fluctuate during a period. Volatility also may be defined as a probability-weighted measure of the dispersion of returns about the mean. The volatility of a share price is the standard deviation of the continuously compounded rates of return on the share over a specified period. That is the same as the standard deviation of the differences in the natural logarithms of the stock prices plus dividends, if any, over the period for ESPP.No definition available.false0Expected volatility16false 3affx_Share-BasedCompensationArrangementByShare-BasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedTermEsppaffx_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse007 months 24 daysfalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse009 months 18 daysfalsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse007 months 24 daysfalsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse009 months 18 daysfalsefalsefalsexbrli:durationItemTypenaExpected term of share-based compensation awards, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days for ESPP.No definition available.false0Expected term (in years)falseSTOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY AND SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION EXPENSE, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (Details) (USD $)HundredThousandsNoRoundingUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://www.affymetrix.com/role/StockholdersEquityAndShareBasedCompensationExpenseEmployeeStockPurchasePlanDetails416