Number of operating segments. An operating segment is a component of an enterprise: (a) that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses (including revenues and expenses relating to transactions with other components of the same enterprise), (b) whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise's chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and (c) for which discrete financial information is available. An operating segment may engage in business activities for which it has yet to earn revenues, for example, start-up operations may be operating segments before earning revenues.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Segment Data and Related Information (Other Disclosures) (Details)	6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013 segment division	Sep. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012 Photovoltaics	Mar. 31, 2012 Photovoltaics
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Number of operating segments	4
Number of reporting segments	2
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue by customer, percentage			20.00%	15.00%
Percentage of long-lived assets located in the United States	77.00%	86.00%