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Stockholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
0 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 24, 2015
Nov. 13, 2014
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Mar. 31, 2013
Nov. 15, 2013
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]            
Weighted-average grant-date fair value of stock option awards granted     $ 10.18us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue $ 16.20us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue $ 25.60us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Intrinsic Value     $ 0us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1 $ 0us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1 $ 0us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1  
Shares, Granted     332,782us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod      
Number of shares cancelled     22,788us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeitedInPeriod      
Stock-based compensation plans expired terms     May 02, 2007      
Contractual life of options, in years     10 years      
Vesting period of shares granted by option upon election to board     2 years      
Compensation expense recognized     100,000us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPCompensationExpense 100,000us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPCompensationExpense 100,000us-gaap_EmployeeStockOwnershipPlanESOPCompensationExpense  
Common stock     96,000us-gaap_CommonStockValue 79,000us-gaap_CommonStockValue    
Proceeds From Issuance Of Common Stock   9,100,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock        
Common stock, shares issued     9,624,275us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued 7,892,990us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued    
Shares issued, price per share   $ 11.00us-gaap_SaleOfStockPricePerShare        
Reverse stock split, description     adjusted to reflect our 1-for-10 reverse stock split      
Reverse stock split 0.1us-gaap_StockholdersEquityNoteStockSplitConversionRatio1 0.1us-gaap_StockholdersEquityNoteStockSplitConversionRatio1        
Common stock units offered   909,090us-gaap_CommonUnitIssued        
Number of warrants issued to purchase common stock   818,181amsc_NumberOfWarrantsIssuedToPurchaseCommonStock        
Warrants to purchase one share of common stock   90.00%amsc_WarrantsToPurchaseOneShareOfCommonStock        
M L V And Co | At Market Sales Agreement            
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]            
Commission on sale of common stock under the ATM           3.00%amsc_PercentageOnSaleOfStockConsiderationReceivedOnTransaction
/ us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis
= amsc_AtMarketSalesAgreementMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= amsc_MLVAndCoMember
M L V And Co | Atm Arrangement            
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]            
Proceeds From Issuance Of Common Stock     5,800,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock
/ us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis
= amsc_AtmArrangementMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= amsc_MLVAndCoMember
7,500,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock
/ us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis
= amsc_AtmArrangementMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= amsc_MLVAndCoMember
   
Common stock, shares issued     375,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued
/ us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis
= amsc_AtmArrangementMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= amsc_MLVAndCoMember
487,000us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued
/ us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis
= amsc_AtmArrangementMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= amsc_MLVAndCoMember
   
Shares issued, price per share     $ 16.05us-gaap_SaleOfStockPricePerShare
/ us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis
= amsc_AtmArrangementMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= amsc_MLVAndCoMember
$ 16.24us-gaap_SaleOfStockPricePerShare
/ us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis
= amsc_AtmArrangementMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= amsc_MLVAndCoMember
   
Maximum | M L V And Co | At Market Sales Agreement            
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]            
Common stock           30,000,000us-gaap_CommonStockValue
/ us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightAxis
= amsc_AtMarketSalesAgreementMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= amsc_MLVAndCoMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
Stock Options            
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]            
Unrecognized compensation cost for unvested employee stock-based compensation awards outstanding, net of forfeitures     1,200,000us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
2,000,000us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
   
Weighted-average period over which unrecognized compensation expense is expected to be recognized (years)     2 years 8 months 12 days      
Stock Options | Minimum            
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]            
Vesting period, in years     3 years      
Stock Options | Maximum            
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]            
Vesting period, in years     5 years      
Restricted Stock and Stock Awards            
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]            
Unrecognized compensation cost for unvested employee stock-based compensation awards outstanding, net of forfeitures     2,600,000us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
1,800,000us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
   
Weighted-average period over which unrecognized compensation expense is expected to be recognized (years)     1 year 2 months 12 days      
Total fair value of restricted stock granted     5,600,000amsc_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
4,500,000amsc_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
10,600,000amsc_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
 
Total fair value of restricted stock granted for bonuses and severance       500,000amsc_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsBonusAndSeveranceGrantsFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
1,600,000amsc_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsBonusAndSeveranceGrantsFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
 
Total fair value of restricted stock vested     3,100,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
3,700,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
3,400,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriodTotalFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
 
Total fair value of restricted stock granted for bonuses and severance       500,000amsc_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsBonusAndSeveranceStockVestedInPeriodFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
1,600,000amsc_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsBonusAndSeveranceStockVestedInPeriodFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
 
Vesting period, in years     3 years      
U.S. Treasury Rates | Minimum            
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]            
Stock-based compensation plans expired terms     5 years      
U.S. Treasury Rates | Maximum            
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]            
Stock-based compensation plans expired terms     7 years      
Performance-Based Restricted Stock            
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]            
Shares, Granted     38,021us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= amsc_PerformanceBasedRestrictedStockMember
40,201us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= amsc_PerformanceBasedRestrictedStockMember
142,212us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= amsc_PerformanceBasedRestrictedStockMember
 
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)            
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]            
Number of shares cancelled     10,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsForfeitedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
     
2007 Director Stock Option Plan            
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]            
Number of shares granted by option upon election to the board     1,000amsc_NumberOfSharesGrantedByOptionUponElectionToBoard
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= amsc_TwoThousandAndSevenDirectorPlanMember
     
Number of shares awarded annually     300amsc_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAwardedAnnually
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= amsc_TwoThousandAndSevenDirectorPlanMember
     
Grant date value of shares granted by option upon election to board     $ 40,000amsc_GrantDateValueOfSharesGrantedByOptionUponElectionToBoard
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= amsc_TwoThousandAndSevenDirectorPlanMember
     
Number of shares authorized for issuance under the plan     64,700us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= amsc_TwoThousandAndSevenDirectorPlanMember
     
2007 Stock Incentive Plan            
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]            
Number of shares authorized for issuance under the plan     557,578us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= amsc_TwoThousandAndSevenPlanMember
     
Employee Stock Purchase Plan            
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]            
Number of shares authorized for issuance under the plan     16,708us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= amsc_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanMember
     
Percentage of purchase discount     15.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardDiscountFromMarketPriceOfferingDate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= amsc_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanMember
     
Common stock shares issued     8,168us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardSharesIssuedInPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= amsc_EmployeeStockPurchasePlanMember