Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jul. 02, 2016 USD ($)	Jul. 04, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 02, 2016 USD ($) Segment	Jul. 04, 2015 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments \| Segment			5
Product Sales	$ 589,969	$ 589,724	$ 1,160,497	$ 1,182,047
Royalty Revenues	82	746	160	1,859
Total Revenue	590,051	590,470	1,160,657	1,183,906
Gross Margin	146,128	141,482	283,437	286,520
Segment Operating Income	49,408	44,170	89,956	91,728
Restructuring and severance Costs	(4,467)	(5,660)	(10,942)	(7,070)
MOSFETS Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Product Sales	102,219	106,348	203,152	213,107
Royalty Revenues	0	0	0	11
Total Revenue	102,219	106,348	203,152	213,118
Gross Margin	11,884	14,708	24,471	28,466
Diodes Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Product Sales	142,118	138,722	277,502	275,233
Royalty Revenues	0	0	0	0
Total Revenue	142,118	138,722	277,502	275,233
Gross Margin	37,258	31,600	69,920	61,490
Optoelectronic Components Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Product Sales	68,059	72,977	130,834	141,602
Royalty Revenues	0	0	0	0
Total Revenue	68,059	72,977	130,834	141,602
Gross Margin	21,618	24,331	40,799	46,514
Resistors And Inductors Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Product Sales	192,717	178,786	376,133	365,178
Royalty Revenues	82	746	160	1,848
Total Revenue	192,799	179,532	376,293	367,026
Gross Margin	57,256	53,342	113,040	112,191
Capacitors Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Product Sales	84,856	92,891	172,876	186,927
Royalty Revenues	0	0	0	0
Total Revenue	84,856	92,891	172,876	186,927
Gross Margin	18,112	17,501	35,207	37,859
Unallocated Amount to Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Operating Income	(57,282)	(56,257)	(111,360)	(116,477)
Operating Segments [Member] \| MOSFETS Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Operating Income	2,560	5,140	5,178	9,667
Operating Segments [Member] \| Diodes Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Operating Income	31,550	25,528	58,193	49,013
Operating Segments [Member] \| Optoelectronic Components Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Operating Income	15,844	19,163	29,498	36,250
Operating Segments [Member] \| Resistors And Inductors Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Operating Income	48,571	44,470	95,454	93,995
Operating Segments [Member] \| Capacitors Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Operating Income	12,632	11,786	23,935	26,350
Unallocated Amount to Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring and severance Costs	$ (4,467)	$ (5,660)	$ (10,942)	$ (7,070)

Aggregate revenue less cost of goods and services sold or operating expenses directly attributable to the revenue generation activity.

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