Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity (DEFICIT) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Accumulated Deficit	Total Aehr Test Systems Shareholders' Equity (Deficit)	Noncontrolling Interest	Total
Beginning Balance, Shares at May. 31, 2014	11,203,000
Beginning Balance, Amount at May. 31, 2014	$ 112	$ 52,142	$ 2,488	$ (47,692)	$ 7,050	$ (21)	$ 7,029
Issuance of common stock under private placement, Shares	1,065,000
Issuance of common stock under private placement, Amount	$ 11	2,563	0	0	2,574	0	2,574
Issuance of common stock under employee plans, Shares	589,000
Issuance of common stock under employee plans, Amount	$ 6	849	0	0	855	0	855
Issuance of common stock under public offering, Amount							0
Issuance of common stock in consideration for cancellation of outstanding vendor invoice, Amount							0
Stock-based compensation	0	993	0	0	993	0	993
Net loss	0	0	0	(6,647)	(6,647)	0	(6,647)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	$ 0	0	(257)	0	(257)	3	(254)
Ending Balance, Shares at May. 31, 2015	12,857,000
Ending Balance, Amount at May. 31, 2015	$ 129	56,547	2,231	(54,339)	4,568	(18)	4,550
Issuance of common stock under employee plans, Shares	359,000
Issuance of common stock under employee plans, Amount	$ 3	509	0	0	512	0	512
Issuance of common stock under public offering, Amount							0
Issuance of common stock in consideration for cancellation of outstanding vendor invoice, Amount							0
Stock-based compensation	0	996	0	0	996	0	996
Net loss	0	0	0	(6,785)	(6,785)	0	(6,785)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	$ 0	0	6	0	6	(2)	4
Ending Balance, Shares at May. 31, 2016	13,216,000
Ending Balance, Amount at May. 31, 2016	$ 132	58,052	2,237	(61,124)	(703)	(20)	(723)
Issuance of common stock under private placement, Shares	2,722,000
Issuance of common stock under private placement, Amount	$ 27	5,272	0	0	5,299	0	5,299
Issuance of common stock under employee plans, Shares	779,000
Issuance of common stock under employee plans, Amount	$ 8	696	0	0	704	0	704
Issuance of common stock under public offering, Shares	4,423,000
Issuance of common stock under public offering, Amount	$ 44	15,788	0	0	15,832	0	15,832
Issuance of common stock in consideration for cancellation of outstanding vendor invoice, Shares	200,000
Issuance of common stock in consideration for cancellation of outstanding vendor invoice, Amount	$ 2	321	0	0	323	0	323
Stock-based compensation	0	999	0	0	999	0	999
Net loss	0	0	0	(5,653)	(5,653)	0	(5,653)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	$ 0	0	12	0	12	1	13
Ending Balance, Shares at May. 31, 2017	21,340,000
Ending Balance, Amount at May. 31, 2017	$ 213	$ 81,128	$ 2,249	$ (66,777)	$ 16,813	$ (19)	$ 16,794