Basis of Presentation (Notes) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Organization and Nature of Operations: [Abstract]
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Text Block]	Basis of Presentation The accompanying interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by Rudolph Technologies, Inc. (the “Company” or “Rudolph”) and in the opinion of management reflect all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals, necessary for their fair presentation in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). Preparing financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual amounts could differ materially from reported amounts. The interim results for the three month period ended March 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the entire year or any future periods. This interim financial information should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 (“2016 10-K”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2016 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements included in the 2016 10-K. Reclassifications Certain immaterial prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current financial statement presentation. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted Effective January 1, 2017, the Company adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standard Update (ASU) No. 2016-09, “ Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.” The standard update simplifies several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, and statutory withholding requirements, as well as classification in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. As a result of the adoption, on a prospective basis, the Company recognized $672 of excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation as a benefit in our income tax provision for the three months ended March 31, 2017. Historically, these amounts were recorded as additional paid-in capital. Upon adoption, the Company elected to present excess tax benefits to operating cash flows retrospectively to its Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 2016, which resulted in a reclassification of excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation of $304 from cash flows from financing activities to cash flows from operating activities. The Company elected to change its policy on accounting for forfeitures and account for forfeitures as they occur. As a result of the forfeiture rate policy change, the Company recorded a reduction to retained earnings of $72 under the modified retrospective approach. Additional amendments to the accounting for income taxes and minimum statutory withholding requirements had no impact on its results of operations. Effective January 1, 2017, the Company adopted ASU No. 2015-11, “Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory.” This simplifies subsequent measurement of inventory by having an entity measure inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable cost of completion, disposal, and transportation. The adoption of ASU 2015-11 did not have any impact on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. Not Yet Adopted In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment.” This ASU eliminates Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Accordingly, if the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss will be recognized in an amount equal to the excess, limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit. The ASU is effective for the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the effect the adoption of ASU No. 2017-04 will have on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, “Income Tax (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory.” This ASU which is part of the Board’s simplification initiative, is intended to reduce the complexity of U.S. GAAP and diversity in practice related to the tax consequences of certain types of intra-entity asset transfers, particularly those involving intellectual property. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the effect the adoption of ASU No. 2016-16 will have on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments.” This ASU provides guidance on statement of cash flows presentation for eight specific cash flow issues where diversity in practice exists. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the effect the adoption of ASU No. 2016-15 will have on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326),” which introduces new guidance for the accounting for credit losses on instruments within its scope. Given the breadth of that scope, the new ASU will impact both financial services and non-financial services entities. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. The Company is currently evaluating the effect the adoption of ASU No. 2016-13 will have on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842).” The standard requires that lessees will be required to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for the rights and obligations created by all leases with terms of more than 12 months. ASU No. 2016-02 also will require disclosures designed to give financial statement users information on the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. These disclosures include qualitative and quantitative information. The standard is effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2018 with earlier adoption permitted. The Company is in the process of evaluating the effects the adoption of ASU No. 2016-02 will have on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).” ASU No. 2014-09, as amended, outlines a comprehensive revenue recognition model and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance as amended. In July 2015, the FASB deferred for one year the effective date of the new revenue standard. The standard is effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2017 with earlier adoption permitted. ASU No. 2014-09 allows for two methods of adoption: (a) “full retrospective” adoption, meaning the standard is applied to all periods presented, or (b) “modified retrospective” adoption, meaning the cumulative effect of applying ASU No. 2014-09 is recognized as an adjustment to the 2018 opening retained earnings balance. The Company is in the process of determining the adoption method as well as the effects the adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 will have on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.
Retained Earnings Reclassification		$ 72

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by Rudolph Technologies, Inc. (the “Company” or “Rudolph”) and in the opinion of management reflect all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals, necessary for their fair presentation in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). Preparing financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual amounts could differ materially from reported amounts. The interim results for the three month period ended March 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the entire year or any future periods. This interim financial information should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 (“2016 10-K”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2016 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements included in the 2016 10-K.

Reclassifications

Certain immaterial prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current financial statement presentation.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted

Effective January 1, 2017, the Company adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standard Update (ASU) No. 2016-09, “ Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.” The standard update simplifies several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, and statutory withholding requirements, as well as classification in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. As a result of the adoption, on a prospective basis, the Company recognized $672 of excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation as a benefit in our income tax provision for the three months ended March 31, 2017. Historically, these amounts were recorded as additional paid-in capital. Upon adoption, the Company elected to present excess tax benefits to operating cash flows retrospectively to its Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 2016, which resulted in a reclassification of excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation of $304 from cash flows from financing activities to cash flows from operating activities. The Company elected to change its policy on accounting for forfeitures and account for forfeitures as they occur. As a result of the forfeiture rate policy change, the Company recorded a reduction to retained earnings of $72 under the modified retrospective approach. Additional amendments to the accounting for income taxes and minimum statutory withholding requirements had no impact on its results of operations.

Effective January 1, 2017, the Company adopted ASU No. 2015-11, “Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory.” This simplifies subsequent measurement of inventory by having an entity measure inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable cost of completion, disposal, and transportation. The adoption of ASU 2015-11 did not have any impact on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

Not Yet Adopted

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment.” This ASU eliminates Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Accordingly, if the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss will be recognized in an amount equal to the excess, limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit. The ASU is effective for the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the effect the adoption of ASU No. 2017-04 will have on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, “Income Tax (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory.” This ASU which is part of the Board’s simplification initiative, is intended to reduce the complexity of U.S. GAAP and diversity in practice related to the tax consequences of certain types of intra-entity asset transfers, particularly those involving intellectual property. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the effect the adoption of ASU No. 2016-16 will have on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments.” This ASU provides guidance on statement of cash flows presentation for eight specific cash flow issues where diversity in practice exists. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the effect the adoption of ASU No. 2016-15 will have on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326),” which introduces new guidance for the accounting for credit losses on instruments within its scope. Given the breadth of that scope, the new ASU will impact both financial services and non-financial services entities. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. The Company is currently evaluating the effect the adoption of ASU No. 2016-13 will have on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842).” The standard requires that lessees will be required to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for the rights and obligations created by all leases with terms of more than 12 months. ASU No. 2016-02 also will require disclosures designed to give financial statement users information on the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. These disclosures include qualitative and quantitative information. The standard is effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2018 with earlier adoption permitted. The Company is in the process of evaluating the effects the adoption of ASU No. 2016-02 will have on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).” ASU No. 2014-09, as amended, outlines a comprehensive revenue recognition model and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance as amended. In July 2015, the FASB deferred for one year the effective date of the new revenue standard. The standard is effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2017 with earlier adoption permitted. ASU No. 2014-09 allows for two methods of adoption: (a) “full retrospective” adoption, meaning the standard is applied to all periods presented, or (b) “modified retrospective” adoption, meaning the cumulative effect of applying ASU No. 2014-09 is recognized as an adjustment to the 2018 opening retained earnings balance. The Company is in the process of determining the adoption method as well as the effects the adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 will have on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.