Long-Term Debt (Long-Term Debt) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 28, 2012		Sep. 04, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	$ 1,063,400,000			$ 1,207,000,000
Less: Current maturities	(260,900,000)			(370,100,000)
Long-term debt	802,500,000			836,900,000
Senior Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	0			0
Credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	325,000,000			325,000,000
Loan With A Japanese Company Due 2012 Through 2018, Interest Payable Quarterly At 2.33% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	311,400,000	[1]		339,800,000	[1]
Debt instrument, interest rate	2.11%			2.33%
Debt instrument maturity year, start	2012
Debt instrument maturity year, end	2018
Zero Coupon Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes Due 2024 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	0	[2]		94,200,000	[2]
Debt instrument, maturity year	2024
Debt instrument, interest rate	0.00%			0.00%
Debt instrument, discount	0			2.0
1.875% Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes Due Two Thousand Twenty Five [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	93,500,000	[3]		88,400,000	[3]
Debt instrument, maturity year	2025
Debt instrument, interest rate	1.875%			1.875%
Debt instrument, discount	1.5			6.6
2.625% Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes Due 2026 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	123,700,000	[4]	92,800,000	207,900,000	[4]	46,600,000
Debt instrument, maturity year	2026
Debt instrument, interest rate	2.625%			2.625%
Debt instrument, discount	8.9			24.5
2.625% Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes Due 2026, Series B [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	272,800,000	[5]		176,600,000	[5]
Debt instrument, maturity year	2026
Debt instrument, interest rate	2.625%			2.625%
Debt instrument, discount	25.6			22.0
Loan With Hong Kong Bank, Interest Payable Weekly [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	30,000,000			40,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate	1.97%			2.04%
Loans With Philippine Banks Due 2012 Through 2015, Interest Payable Monthly And Quarterly At An Average Rate Of 2.01% And 1.80% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	60,200,000			68,200,000
Debt instrument, interest rate	1.95%			2.01%
Debt instrument maturity year, start	2012
Debt instrument maturity year, end	2015
Loans With Chinese Banks Due 2013, Interest Payable Quarterly [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	7,000,000			7,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity year	2014
Debt instrument, interest rate	3.83%			4.44%
Loans With Japanese Banks Due Through 2013, Interest Payable Monthly And Semi-Annually [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	1,200,000			3,500,000
Debt instrument, interest rate	1.58%			1.71%
Debt instrument maturity year, start	2012
Debt instrument maturity year, end	2013
Loan With Singapore Bank, Interest Payable Weekly [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	10,000,000			25,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate	1.95%			1.97%
Loan With British Finance Company, Interest Payable Monthly [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	7,700,000			13,100,000
Debt instrument, interest rate	1.52%			2.42%
U.S. Real Estate Mortgages Payable Monthly Through 2016 At An Average Rate Of 4.86% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	30,200,000			31,600,000
Debt instrument, maturity year	2016
Debt instrument, interest rate	4.857%			4.857%
U.S. Equipment Financing Payable Monthly Through 2015 At 3.23% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	15,100,000			10,800,000
Debt instrument, maturity year	2016
Debt instrument, interest rate	2.94%			2.94%
Capital Lease Obligations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, including current maturities	$ 100,600,000			$ 100,900,000

[1] This loan represents Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC's ("SCI LLC") unsecured loan with SANYO Electric, which is guaranteed by the Company.

[2] The Zero Coupon Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes due 2024 were repaid on April 16, 2012. See below for further discussion of the retirement of the Zero Coupon Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes due 2024.

[3] The 1.875% Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes due 2025 may be put back to the Company at the option of the holders of the notes on December 15 of 2012, 2015 and 2020 or called at the option of the Company on or after December 20, 2012.

[4] The 2.625% Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes due 2026 may be put back to the Company at the option of the holders of the notes on December 15 of 2013, 2016 and 2021 or called at the option of the Company on or after December 20, 2013.

[5] The 2.625% Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes due 2026, Series B may be put back to the Company at the option of the holders of the notes on December 15 of 2016 and 2021 or called at the option of the Company on or after December 20, 2016.