Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011 Up-front Payment Arrangement [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Agreement with Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. (TKK) [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Agreement with Tanaka Kikinzoku Kogyo K.K. (TKK) [Member]
Deferred Revenue	$ 0.6
Original Contract Value		1.5	1.5
Amended Contract Value		1.0	1.0
Contracts Revenue		0.6	1.0
Contract Revenue Cost			$ 0.3

The contract value agreed as per amendment to the agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	cdti_AmendedContractValue
Namespace Prefix:	cdti_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The original contract value at the time of agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cdti_OriginalContractValue
Namespace Prefix:	cdti_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Costs incurred and are directly related to generating contract revenues.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.2(e))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractRevenueCost
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Revenue earned during the period arising from products sold or services provided under the terms of a contract, not elsewhere specified in the taxonomy. May include government contracts, construction contracts, and any other contract related to a particular project or product.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of deferred revenue as of balance sheet date. Deferred revenue represents collections of cash or other assets related to a revenue producing activity for which revenue has not yet been recognized. Generally, an entity records deferred revenue when it receives consideration from a customer before achieving certain criteria that must be met for revenue to be recognized in conformity with GAAP.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 605

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 13.A.4(a).Q1 Response)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6600647&loc=d3e214044-122780

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 13

-Section A

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant