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INCOME TAXES - Operating Loss Carryforwards Narrative (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]      
Operating loss carryforwards $ 178,200,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards    
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance (200,000)us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount (300,000)us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount (37,100,000)us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount
Valuation allowance attributable to tax benefits of share based compensation 25,700,000affx_ValuationAllowanceAttributableToTaxBenefitsOfShareBasedCompensation    
Valuation allowance 137,957,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance 135,697,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance  
Tax benefits related to share based compensation not included in the deferred tax assets 7,300,000affx_TaxBenefitsRelatedToShareBasedCompensationNotIncludedInDeferredTaxAssets    
Undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries 900,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilityNotRecognizedAmountOfUnrecognizedDeferredTaxLiabilityUndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries    
Tax holidays and tax incentive programs expiration 12/31/2016    
Business Acquisition [Member]      
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]      
Valuation allowance 138,000,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= affx_BusinessAcquisitionMember
   
United States and Certain Foreign [Member]      
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]      
Increase (decrease) in valuation allowance 2,300,000us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= affx_UnitedStatesandCertainForeignMember
4,700,000us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= affx_UnitedStatesandCertainForeignMember
 
Federal [Member]      
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]      
Research and development tax credit carryforwards 25,600,000us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
   
State [Member]      
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]      
Operating loss carryforwards 115,400,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember
   
Research and development tax credit carryforwards $ 42,500,000us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember