Notes Payable and Credit Arrangements Line of Credit Period Balances (Details) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 18, 2013
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, amount outstanding	$ 0	$ 583,000
Line of credit facility, remaining borrowing capacity	669,000
Letters of credit outstanding, amount	188,000	170,000
Spire Corporation | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, amount outstanding	0	107,000
Spire Corporation | Ex-Im Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, amount outstanding	0	38,000
N2 Biomedical LLC
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, amount outstanding	0	438,000
Long-term debt	5,300,000	5,800,000	6,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate at period end	4.50%
N2 Biomedical LLC | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, amount outstanding	$ 0	$ 438,000
Line of credit facility, interest rate at period end	3.75%