Suncore Joint Venture	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]
Suncore Joint Venture	Suncore Joint Venture On July 30, 2010, we entered into a joint venture agreement with San'an Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. (San'an), for the purpose of engaging in the development, manufacturing, and distribution of CPV receivers, modules, and systems for terrestrial solar power applications under a technology license from us. The joint venture, Suncore Photovoltaic Technology Co., Ltd. (Suncore), is a limited liability company under the laws of the People's Republic of China. Initially, the total registered capital of Suncore was $30.0 million, of which San'an contributed $18.0 million in cash and EMCORE contributed $12.0 million in cash. In addition, we entered into a Cooperation Agreement with an affiliate of San'an whereby we received $8.5 million in consulting fees in exchange for the technology license and related support and strategic consulting services to Suncore, which was recorded as a reduction to our investment in Suncore resulting in a basis difference. We amortize this basis difference in our equity investment over an estimated five-year technology useful life using the straight-line amortization method. During the three months ended December 31, 2011, Suncore increased its registered capital by recording a deemed capital distribution of $37.0 million which was distributed and reinvested in proportion to each entity's registered capital, of which San'an was allocated $22.2 million and EMCORE was allocated $14.8 million. During this same period, Suncore also recorded a cash dividend of approximately $4.1 million in proportion to each entity's registered capital of which San'an received $2.5 million and EMCORE received $1.6 million. We recorded the cash dividend as a reduction in our investment in Suncore. We incurred foreign income tax of approximately $1.6 million associated with these capital distributions which is presented under the caption "income tax expense" on our statement of operations and comprehensive income (loss). EMCORE's cash dividend was equal to the foreign income tax expense incurred on the capital distributions. In August 2011, we signed a solar rooftop CPV development agreement with Suncore pursuant to which we agreed to collaborate on the development and application of the current 500X and next-generation 1000X rooftop CPV systems. In summary, Suncore agreed to purchase joint ownership rights to rooftop CPV intellectual property and reimburse us 50% of all research and development costs incurred related to rooftop CPV solutions in exchange for joint ownership rights to the newly developed intellectual property. In addition, Suncore agreed to pay us a development fee of 20% on research and development costs billed to Suncore with a maximum development fee payout of approximately $0.2 million. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012, we billed Suncore approximately $1.0 million for research and development costs and recognized $0.2 million in development fees. Included in prepaid expenses and other assets at September 30, 2012 is $0.7 million of amounts billed to Suncore in fiscal year 2012 primarily for the reimbursement of research and development costs. With the agreement in August 2012 to consolidate the Company's terrestrial CPV system engineering and development efforts, for both ground mount and rooftop terrestrial CPV products, into Suncore, the collaboration on research and development costs agreement was terminated between the Company and Suncore. In November 2011, we agreed to grant Suncore an exclusive license to use certain intellectual property and know-how, both existing and to-be-developed, related to the fabrication process and testing of terrestrial CPV solar cells on terrestrial CPV solar systems solely within the PRC, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan (the licensed territory) and be able to use, market, and sell the terrestrial CPV solar cells worldwide, excluding only the United States. This licensing agreement was initially for $2.5 million and does not include intellectual property associated with the development of space qualified or radiation hardened solar cells. Suncore has not fulfilled all the requirements necessary to initiate payment for this license; as a result, we did not record any receivables from Suncore associated with this license agreement as of September 30, 2013. In October 2013, we amended the license agreement with Suncore that provides for the license agreement to be amended from $2.5 million to $0.8 million. In addition, we are only required to provide ongoing support through December 31, 2013 to Suncore. On August 5, 2012, we entered into a definitive agreement which consolidated the Company's terrestrial CPV system engineering and development efforts, for both ground mount and rooftop terrestrial CPV products, into Suncore. EMCORE employees who were engaged in terrestrial CPV product and business development, as well as key engineering, sales, and marketing personnel, were transferred to Suncore upon the closing of the agreement on September 21, 2012. Suncore funded all ongoing R&D, marketing, sales, and business development functions related to terrestrial CPV systems. We sold these assets for $2.8 million. Included in prepaid expenses and other current assets at September 30, 2012 is the $2.8 million sale price, which amount was collected during the three months ended December 31, 2012. EMCORE will continue to own all of its intellectual property related to solar cell technology and maintain investment activities to advance CPV solar cell performance to serve a broader customer base within the CPV industry. During the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, we recorded revenue from Suncore of $15.9 million and $6.2 million, respectively. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012, we recorded a loss associated with our equity interest in the Suncore joint venture totaling $1.2 million. There were no revenues recorded from Suncore in fiscal year 2011. In March 2013, we sold certain solar assets and our ownership interest in Emcore Solar New Mexico (“ESNM”) to Suncore for $1.5 million and recognized the related gain of $0.3 million during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013. Included in prepaid expenses and other current assets as of September 30, 2013 is $0.3 million. The amount due from Suncore related to transaction services provided in accordance with the August 2012 definitive agreement and other smaller amounts. In June 2013, we entered into an agreement to transfer our 40% registered ownership interest in Suncore to San'an Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. ("San'an") for a purchase price of $4.8 million. Under the terms of the Transfer Agreement, each of the parties agreed to indemnify the other for any losses incurred as a result of either party's breach of its obligations under the Transfer Agreement. Closing was subject to customary conditions, including Chinese regulatory approvals. The payment for the purchase price was made upon the completion of the share transfer, which occurred during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013. Upon completion of the share transfer in September 2013, the Company recognized $3.3 million of deferred revenue from Suncore included in the financial statements as of June 30, 2013, as well as the resulting gain of $4.8 million on our registered ownership interest.

Suncore Joint Venture

On July 30, 2010, we entered into a joint venture agreement with San'an Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. (San'an), for the purpose of engaging in the development, manufacturing, and distribution of CPV receivers, modules, and systems for terrestrial solar power applications under a technology license from us. The joint venture, Suncore Photovoltaic Technology Co., Ltd. (Suncore), is a limited liability company under the laws of the People's Republic of China.

Initially, the total registered capital of Suncore was $30.0 million, of which San'an contributed $18.0 million in cash and EMCORE contributed $12.0 million in cash. In addition, we entered into a Cooperation Agreement with an affiliate of San'an whereby we received $8.5 million in consulting fees in exchange for the technology license and related support and strategic consulting services to Suncore, which was recorded as a reduction to our investment in Suncore resulting in a basis difference. We amortize this basis difference in our equity investment over an estimated five-year technology useful life using the straight-line amortization method.

During the three months ended December 31, 2011, Suncore increased its registered capital by recording a deemed capital distribution of $37.0 million which was distributed and reinvested in proportion to each entity's registered capital, of which San'an was allocated $22.2 million and EMCORE was allocated $14.8 million. During this same period, Suncore also recorded a cash dividend of approximately $4.1 million in proportion to each entity's registered capital of which San'an received $2.5 million and EMCORE received $1.6 million. We recorded the cash dividend as a reduction in our investment in Suncore. We incurred foreign income tax of approximately $1.6 million associated with these capital distributions which is presented under the caption "income tax expense" on our statement of operations and comprehensive income (loss). EMCORE's cash dividend was equal to the foreign income tax expense incurred on the capital distributions.

In August 2011, we signed a solar rooftop CPV development agreement with Suncore pursuant to which we agreed to collaborate on the development and application of the current 500X and next-generation 1000X rooftop CPV systems. In summary, Suncore agreed to purchase joint ownership rights to rooftop CPV intellectual property and reimburse us 50% of all research and development costs incurred related to rooftop CPV solutions in exchange for joint ownership rights to the newly developed intellectual property. In addition, Suncore agreed to pay us a development fee of 20% on research and development costs billed to Suncore with a maximum development fee payout of approximately $0.2 million. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012, we billed Suncore approximately $1.0 million for research and development costs and recognized $0.2 million in development fees. Included in prepaid expenses and other assets at September 30, 2012 is $0.7 million of amounts billed to Suncore in fiscal year 2012 primarily for the reimbursement of research and development costs. With the agreement in August 2012 to consolidate the Company's terrestrial CPV system engineering and development efforts, for both ground mount and rooftop terrestrial CPV products, into Suncore, the collaboration on research and development costs agreement was terminated between the Company and Suncore.

In November 2011, we agreed to grant Suncore an exclusive license to use certain intellectual property and know-how, both existing and to-be-developed, related to the fabrication process and testing of terrestrial CPV solar cells on terrestrial CPV solar systems solely within the PRC, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan (the licensed territory) and be able to use, market, and sell the terrestrial CPV solar cells worldwide, excluding only the United States. This licensing agreement was initially for $2.5 million and does not include intellectual property associated with the development of space qualified or radiation hardened solar cells. Suncore has not fulfilled all the requirements necessary to initiate payment for this license; as a result, we did not record any receivables from Suncore associated with this license agreement as of September 30, 2013. In October 2013, we amended the license agreement with Suncore that provides for the license agreement to be amended from $2.5 million to $0.8 million. In addition, we are only required to provide ongoing support through December 31, 2013 to Suncore.

On August 5, 2012, we entered into a definitive agreement which consolidated the Company's terrestrial CPV system engineering and development efforts, for both ground mount and rooftop terrestrial CPV products, into Suncore. EMCORE employees who were engaged in terrestrial CPV product and business development, as well as key engineering, sales, and marketing personnel, were transferred to Suncore upon the closing of the agreement on September 21, 2012. Suncore funded all ongoing R&D, marketing, sales, and business development functions related to terrestrial CPV systems. We sold these assets for $2.8 million. Included in prepaid expenses and other current assets at September 30, 2012 is the $2.8 million sale price, which amount was collected during the three months ended December 31, 2012. EMCORE will continue to own all of its intellectual property related to solar cell technology and maintain investment activities to advance CPV solar cell performance to serve a broader customer base within the CPV industry.

During the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013 and 2012, we recorded revenue from Suncore of $15.9 million and $6.2 million, respectively. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012, we recorded a loss associated with our equity interest in the Suncore joint venture totaling $1.2 million. There were no revenues recorded from Suncore in fiscal year 2011.

In March 2013, we sold certain solar assets and our ownership interest in Emcore Solar New Mexico (“ESNM”) to Suncore for $1.5 million and recognized the related gain of $0.3 million during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013.

Included in prepaid expenses and other current assets as of September 30, 2013 is $0.3 million. The amount due from Suncore related to transaction services provided in accordance with the August 2012 definitive agreement and other smaller amounts.

In June 2013, we entered into an agreement to transfer our 40% registered ownership interest in Suncore to San'an Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. ("San'an") for a purchase price of $4.8 million. Under the terms of the Transfer Agreement, each of the parties agreed to indemnify the other for any losses incurred as a result of either party's breach of its obligations under the Transfer Agreement. Closing was subject to customary conditions, including Chinese regulatory approvals. The payment for the purchase price was made upon the completion of the share transfer, which occurred during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013. Upon completion of the share transfer in September 2013, the Company recognized $3.3 million of deferred revenue from Suncore included in the financial statements as of June 30, 2013, as well as the resulting gain of $4.8 million on our registered ownership interest.