Commitments and Contingencies	9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Commitments and Contingencies Operating Lease Obligations: We lease certain facilities and equipment under non-cancelable operating leases. Operating lease amounts exclude renewal option periods, property taxes, insurance, and maintenance expenses on leased properties. Our facility leases typically provide for rental adjustments for increases in base rent (up to specific limits), property taxes, insurance, and general property maintenance that would be recorded as rent expense. Rent expense was approximately $0.3 million and $0.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and approximately $0.9 million and $1.1 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively. There are no off-balance sheet arrangements other than our operating leases. Asset Retirement Obligation: We have known conditional Asset Retirement Obligations (“AROs”) such as certain asset decommissioning and restoration of rented facilities to be performed in the future. Our ARO includes assumptions related to renewal option periods for those facilities where we expect to extend lease terms. The Company recognizes its estimate of the fair value of its ARO in the period incurred in long-term liabilities. The fair value of the ARO is also capitalized as property, plant and equipment. In future periods, the ARO is accreted for the change in its present value and capitalized costs are depreciated over the useful life of the related assets. If the fair value of the estimated ARO changes, an adjustment will be recorded to both the ARO and the asset retirement capitalized cost. Revisions in estimated liabilities can result from revisions of estimated inflation rates, changes in estimated retirement costs, and changes in the estimated timing of settling the ARO. The fair value of our ARO was estimated by discounting projected cash flows over the estimated life of the related assets using credit adjusted risk-free rates which ranged from 1.20% to 4.20%. There was no ARO settled during the three and nine months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017. Accretion expense of $17,000 was recorded during each of the three months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017. Accretion expense of $0.1 million was recorded during each of the nine months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017. EMCORE leases its primary facility in Alhambra, California covering six buildings where manufacturing, research and development, and general and administrative work is performed. In September 2017, a new lease for four of the six buildings was signed, which was effective on October 1, 2017. The new lease extends the terms of the lease for three years plus a three year option to extend the lease through September 2023. In connection with the lease agreement, the Company has recorded an ARO liability at June 30, 2018 and September 30, 2017 of $1.7 million and $1.6 million, respectively. Leases related to the other two buildings expired in 2011, and these buildings are being occupied on a month-to-month basis. The Company’s ARO consists of legal requirements to return the existing leased facilities to their original state and certain environmental work to be performed due to the presence of a manufacturing fabrication operation and significant changes to the facilities over the past thirty years. Indemnifications: We have agreed to indemnify certain customers against claims of infringement of intellectual property rights of others in our sales contracts with these customers. Historically, we have not paid any claims under these indemnification obligations. Legal Proceedings: We are subject to various legal proceedings, claims, and litigation, either asserted or unasserted, that arise in the ordinary course of business. The outcome of these matters is currently not determinable and we are unable to estimate a range of loss, should a loss occur, from these proceedings. The ultimate outcome of legal proceedings involves judgments, estimates and inherent uncertainties and the results of these matters cannot be predicted with certainty. Professional legal fees are expensed when incurred. We accrue for contingent losses when such losses are probable and reasonably estimable. In the event that estimates or assumptions prove to differ from actual results, adjustments are made in subsequent periods to reflect more current information. Should we fail to prevail in any legal matter or should several legal matters be resolved against the Company in the same reporting period, then the financial results of that particular reporting period could be materially affected. a) Intellectual Property Lawsuits We protect our proprietary technology by applying for patents where appropriate and, in other cases, by preserving the technology, related know-how and information as trade secrets. The success and competitive position of our product lines are impacted by our ability to obtain intellectual property protection for our research and development efforts. We have, from time to time, exchanged correspondence with third parties regarding the assertion of patent or other intellectual property rights in connection with certain of our products and processes. b) Mirasol Class Action On December 15, 2015, Plaintiff Christina Mirasol (“Mirasol”), on her own behalf and on behalf of a putative class of similarly situated individuals composed of current and former non-exempt employees of the Company working in California since December 15, 2011, filed a complaint against the Company in the Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County (the “Court”). The complaint alleged seven causes of action related to: (1) failure to pay overtime; (2) failure to provide meal periods; (3) failure to pay minimum wages; (4) failure to timely pay wages upon termination; (5) failure to provide compliant wage statements; (6) unfair competition under the California Business and Professions Code § 17200 et seq.; and (7) penalties under the Private Attorneys General Act. The claims were premised primarily on the allegation that Mirasol and the putative class members were not provided with their legally required meal periods. Mirasol sought recovery on her own behalf and on behalf of the putative class in an unspecified amount for compensatory and liquidated damages as well as for declaratory relief, injunctive relief, statutory penalties, pre-judgment interest, costs and attorneys’ fees. In exchange for a one-time cash payment offered by the Company, certain current and former employees previously agreed to release the Company from all potential claims related to the matters alleged in the Mirasol lawsuit. The Company had recorded an accrual for these amounts at September 30, 2016 that was not material to the Company's results of operations, financial condition or cash flows, which had been recorded within Operating Expenses for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2016. On January 6, 2017, the Company and Mirasol agreed to a class action settlement of $0.3 million with regards to all outstanding claims. On January 24, 2018, the Court granted final approval of the formal settlement agreement entered into between the parties and on February 26, 2018, the Court entered final judgment. The settlement amount of $0.3 million was paid in May 2018. There remains no outstanding liability related to the settlement as of June 30, 2018. During the nine months ended June 30, 2017, the Company recorded an accrual of $0.2 million within Operating Expenses related to the settlement. c) Mirasol Wrongful Termination Lawsuit In August 2016, EMCORE was served with a second lawsuit by former employee Mirsaol, in the Superior Court of Los Angeles alleging that the Company violated California’s employment laws in terminating her employment in November 2015. By her complaint, Mirasol asserted five causes of action: (1) wrongful termination in violation of public policy; (2) discrimination on the basis of disability and/or medical condition; (3) failure to accommodate; (4) failure to engage in the interactive process; and (5) intentional infliction of emotional distress. On September 26, 2016, Mirasol dismissed the fifth cause of action for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Mirasol alleged that EMCORE wrongfully terminated her at the conclusion of a Family and Medical Act leave, without engaging in the interactive process of offering to provide her with reasonable accommodations. The plaintiff sought general, special, and punitive damages. On January 6, 2017, the Company and Mirasol agreed to a settlement of $50,000 with regards to all outstanding claims. This amount was paid as of September 30, 2017. d) Phoenix Navigation Components, LLC Legal Proceedings On June 12, 2018, Phoenix Navigation Components, LLC (“Phoenix”) filed a Demand for Arbitration against EMCORE with the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) in New York, asserting the following claims: breach of contract, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, misappropriation of trade secrets (under the Defend Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1836, and New York law), conversion, and unjust enrichment, relating to EMCORE’s termination of certain agreements entered into between EMCORE and Phoenix related to the purported license of certain intellectual property related to fiber optic gyroscope technology and disputed royalty payments related thereto. On July 12, 2018, EMCORE filed an Answering Statement, denying all of these claims. No arbitration date has been set. On June 21, 2018, Phoenix commenced a special proceeding in the New York Supreme Court, Commercial Division, seeking an application for a preliminary injunction in aid of arbitration pursuant to CPLR 7502(c), in connection with the AAA arbitration in New York. On July 20, 2018, EMCORE filed opposition papers to Phoenix’s application for a preliminary injunction in aid of arbitration, denying all of these claims. We believe that the claims made by Phoenix in these proceedings are without merit and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves against them.

Commitments and Contingencies

Operating Lease Obligations: We lease certain facilities and equipment under non-cancelable operating leases. Operating lease amounts exclude renewal option periods, property taxes, insurance, and maintenance expenses on leased properties. Our facility leases typically provide for rental adjustments for increases in base rent (up to specific limits), property taxes, insurance, and general property maintenance that would be recorded as rent expense. Rent expense was approximately $0.3 million and $0.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and approximately $0.9 million and $1.1 million for the nine months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, respectively. There are no off-balance sheet arrangements other than our operating leases.

Asset Retirement Obligation: We have known conditional Asset Retirement Obligations (“AROs”) such as certain asset decommissioning and restoration of rented facilities to be performed in the future. Our ARO includes assumptions related to renewal option periods for those facilities where we expect to extend lease terms. The Company recognizes its estimate of the fair value of its ARO in the period incurred in long-term liabilities. The fair value of the ARO is also capitalized as property, plant and equipment.

In future periods, the ARO is accreted for the change in its present value and capitalized costs are depreciated over the useful life of the related assets. If the fair value of the estimated ARO changes, an adjustment will be recorded to both the ARO and the asset retirement capitalized cost. Revisions in estimated liabilities can result from revisions of estimated inflation rates, changes in estimated retirement costs, and changes in the estimated timing of settling the ARO. The fair value of our ARO was estimated by discounting projected cash flows over the estimated life of the related assets using credit adjusted risk-free rates which ranged from 1.20% to 4.20%. There was no ARO settled during the three and nine months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017. Accretion expense of $17,000 was recorded during each of the three months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017. Accretion expense of $0.1 million was recorded during each of the nine months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017.

EMCORE leases its primary facility in Alhambra, California covering six buildings where manufacturing, research and development, and general and administrative work is performed. In September 2017, a new lease for four of the six buildings was signed, which was effective on October 1, 2017. The new lease extends the terms of the lease for three years plus a three year option to extend the lease through September 2023. In connection with the lease agreement, the Company has recorded an ARO liability at June 30, 2018 and September 30, 2017 of $1.7 million and $1.6 million, respectively. Leases related to the other two buildings expired in 2011, and these buildings are being occupied on a month-to-month basis.

The Company’s ARO consists of legal requirements to return the existing leased facilities to their original state and certain environmental work to be performed due to the presence of a manufacturing fabrication operation and significant changes to the facilities over the past thirty years.

Indemnifications: We have agreed to indemnify certain customers against claims of infringement of intellectual property rights of others in our sales contracts with these customers. Historically, we have not paid any claims under these indemnification obligations.

Legal Proceedings: We are subject to various legal proceedings, claims, and litigation, either asserted or unasserted, that arise in the ordinary course of business. The outcome of these matters is currently not determinable and we are unable to estimate a range of loss, should a loss occur, from these proceedings. The ultimate outcome of legal proceedings involves judgments, estimates and inherent uncertainties and the results of these matters cannot be predicted with certainty. Professional legal fees are expensed when incurred. We accrue for contingent losses when such losses are probable and reasonably estimable. In the event that estimates or assumptions prove to differ from actual results, adjustments are made in subsequent periods to reflect more current information. Should we fail to prevail in any legal matter or should several legal matters be resolved against the Company in the same reporting period, then the financial results of that particular reporting period could be materially affected.

a) Intellectual Property Lawsuits

We protect our proprietary technology by applying for patents where appropriate and, in other cases, by preserving the technology, related know-how and information as trade secrets. The success and competitive position of our product lines are impacted by our ability to obtain intellectual property protection for our research and development efforts. We have, from time to time, exchanged correspondence with third parties regarding the assertion of patent or other intellectual property rights in connection with certain of our products and processes.

b) Mirasol Class Action

On December 15, 2015, Plaintiff Christina Mirasol (“Mirasol”), on her own behalf and on behalf of a putative class of similarly situated individuals composed of current and former non-exempt employees of the Company working in California since December 15, 2011, filed a complaint against the Company in the Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County (the “Court”). The complaint alleged seven causes of action related to: (1) failure to pay overtime; (2) failure to provide meal periods; (3) failure to pay minimum wages; (4) failure to timely pay wages upon termination; (5) failure to provide compliant wage statements; (6) unfair competition under the California Business and Professions Code § 17200 et seq.; and (7) penalties under the Private Attorneys General Act. The claims were premised primarily on the allegation that Mirasol and the putative class members were not provided with their legally required meal periods. Mirasol sought recovery on her own behalf and on behalf of the putative class in an unspecified amount for compensatory and liquidated damages as well as for declaratory relief, injunctive relief, statutory penalties, pre-judgment interest, costs and attorneys’ fees.

In exchange for a one-time cash payment offered by the Company, certain current and former employees previously agreed to release the Company from all potential claims related to the matters alleged in the Mirasol lawsuit. The Company had recorded an accrual for these amounts at September 30, 2016 that was not material to the Company's results of operations, financial condition or cash flows, which had been recorded within Operating Expenses for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2016. On January 6, 2017, the Company and Mirasol agreed to a class action settlement of $0.3 million with regards to all outstanding claims. On January 24, 2018, the Court granted final approval of the formal settlement agreement entered into between the parties and on February 26, 2018, the Court entered final judgment. The settlement amount of $0.3 million was paid in May 2018. There remains no outstanding liability related to the settlement as of June 30, 2018. During the nine months ended June 30, 2017, the Company recorded an accrual of $0.2 million within Operating Expenses related to the settlement.

c) Mirasol Wrongful Termination Lawsuit

In August 2016, EMCORE was served with a second lawsuit by former employee Mirsaol, in the Superior Court of Los Angeles alleging that the Company violated California’s employment laws in terminating her employment in November 2015. By her complaint, Mirasol asserted five causes of action: (1) wrongful termination in violation of public policy; (2) discrimination on the basis of disability and/or medical condition; (3) failure to accommodate; (4) failure to engage in the interactive process; and (5) intentional infliction of emotional distress. On September 26, 2016, Mirasol dismissed the fifth cause of action for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Mirasol alleged that EMCORE wrongfully terminated her at the conclusion of a Family and Medical Act leave, without engaging in the interactive process of offering to provide her with reasonable accommodations. The plaintiff sought general, special, and punitive damages. On January 6, 2017, the Company and Mirasol agreed to a settlement of $50,000 with regards to all outstanding claims. This amount was paid as of September 30, 2017.

d) Phoenix Navigation Components, LLC Legal Proceedings

On June 12, 2018, Phoenix Navigation Components, LLC (“Phoenix”) filed a Demand for Arbitration against EMCORE with the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) in New York, asserting the following claims: breach of contract, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, misappropriation of trade secrets (under the Defend Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1836, and New York law), conversion, and unjust enrichment, relating to EMCORE’s termination of certain agreements entered into between EMCORE and Phoenix related to the purported license of certain intellectual property related to fiber optic gyroscope technology and disputed royalty payments related thereto. On July 12, 2018, EMCORE filed an Answering Statement, denying all of these claims. No arbitration date has been set.

On June 21, 2018, Phoenix commenced a special proceeding in the New York Supreme Court, Commercial Division, seeking an application for a preliminary injunction in aid of arbitration pursuant to CPLR 7502(c), in connection with the AAA arbitration in New York. On July 20, 2018, EMCORE filed opposition papers to Phoenix’s application for a preliminary injunction in aid of arbitration, denying all of these claims. We believe that the claims made by Phoenix in these proceedings are without merit and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves against them.