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FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Other-than-temporary impairment charges $ 0us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments $ 100,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments
4.00% Convertible Senior Notes    
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]    
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage 4.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= affx_FourPointZeroZeroPercentCovertibleSeniorNotesMember
 
Convertible debt fair value $ 241,200,000us-gaap_ConvertibleDebtFairValueDisclosures
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= affx_FourPointZeroZeroPercentCovertibleSeniorNotesMember