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Income Taxes (Details 5) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Change in unrecognized tax benefits |  |  |
Balance at the beginning of the year | $ 6,228,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | $ 5,818,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | $ 4,748,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Additions for tax positions related to current year | 244,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions | 324,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions | 435,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions
Additions for tax positions relating to prior years | 199,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions | 477,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions | 742,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Reductions for tax positions relating to prior years | (2,345,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions | (224,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions | (59,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Reductions due to the lapse of the applicable statute of limitations | (38,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations |  | (48,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations
Settlements | (12,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities | (167,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities |
Balance at the end of the year | 4,276,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | 6,228,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits | 5,818,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Amount of unrecognized tax benefits that would affect effective tax rate | 4,300,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate | 6,200,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate |
Accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits | 300,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued | 800,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued |
2010 IRS settlement |  |  |
Change in unrecognized tax benefits |  |  |
Settlements | $ 2,300,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities / veco_ReasonablyPossibleSignificantChangeInUnrecognizedTaxByItemAxis = veco_IrsSettlement2010Member |  |

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- Definition Amount of unrecognized tax benefits pertaining to uncertain tax positions taken in tax returns. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Unrecognized Tax Benefit -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6527854 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
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- Definition Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from settlements with taxing authorities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
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