Commitments and Contingencies - Narrative (Details) $ in Thousands											1 Months Ended										4 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 18, 2017 review	Sep. 29, 2017 USD ($) claim patent	Sep. 22, 2017 review	Aug. 14, 2017 patent	Mar. 09, 2017 patent	Nov. 01, 2016 patent	Sep. 19, 2016 facility	Aug. 11, 2016 patent	Nov. 27, 2013 USD ($)	Oct. 14, 2008 claim	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($) patent	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($)	May 31, 2012 patent	Apr. 30, 2012 claim	Jan. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2008 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2006 claim product	Aug. 31, 2017 review	Aug. 31, 2016 patent review	Sep. 29, 2017 USD ($) claim	Dec. 31, 2015 patent	Dec. 31, 2009 patent	Dec. 31, 2008 claim	Dec. 31, 2006 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2004 patent	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Outstanding guarantees and letters of credit		$ 5,700																					$ 5,700
Guarantees related to capital lease obligations		125,100																					125,100
Long-term debt		3,191,100																					3,191,100						$ 3,806,800
Inter party review | review																					10
Notes Payable to Banks
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Long-term debt		132,100																					132,100						$ 160,400
Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Line of credit, current borrowing capacity		15,000																					15,000
Letter of Credit | Line of Credit
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Credit commitment outstanding		$ 400																					$ 400
Power Integrations, Inc.
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of outstanding proceedings | claim		7																					7
Power Integrations, Inc. | Minimum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, estimate of possible loss																							$ 4,000
Power Integrations, Inc. | Maximum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, estimate of possible loss																							$ 20,000
Power Integrations, Inc., USPTO
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of outstanding proceedings | claim		9																					9
Inter party review | review																						12
Patents reviewed and found unpatentable | review			9																			9
Power Integrations, Northern District of California, 2016
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, number of patents allegedly infringed upon | patent						6
Gain contingency, number of patents allegedly infringed upon | patent				8
Number of patents requiring declaratory judgment | patent				1
Power Integrations, Arizona, 2016
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Gain contingency, number of patents allegedly infringed upon | patent								6
Number of patents requiring declaratory judgment | patent								3
Power Integrations, Delaware, 2017
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, number of patents allegedly infringed upon | patent		7
Gain contingency, number of patents allegedly infringed upon | patent					6
Fairchild
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of business acquired | facility							2
Maximum remediation cost recoveries receivable		$ 150,000																					$ 150,000
Fairchild | Power Integrations, Inc.
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of outstanding proceedings | claim		5																					5
Fairchild | Power Integrations, Delaware, 2004
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of outstanding proceedings | claim																				7
Loss contingency, number of patents allegedly infringed upon																										2		4
Loss contingency, number of products that infringed upon patents | product																				33
Litigation settlement, amount paid																		$ 12,200	$ 6,100								$ 34,000
Fairchild | Power Integrations, Delaware, 2004 | Minimum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Value of sales and imports of affected products															$ 500
Fairchild | Power Integrations, Delaware, 2004 | Maximum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Value of sales and imports of affected products															$ 750
Fairchild | Power Integrations, Delaware, 2008
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, number of patents allegedly infringed upon | claim																	4									3
Gain contingency, number of patents allegedly infringed upon | claim										2
Loss contingency, number of patents found infringed upon | claim																	2
Loss contingency, number of patents infringed upon | claim																	1
Fairchild | Power Integrations, Delaware, 2012
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, number of patents allegedly infringed upon | patent																5
Gain contingency, number of patents allegedly infringed upon | patent																3
Loss contingency, number of patents found infringed upon | patent																1
Litigation settlement, amount awarded from other party												$ 2,400
Fairchild | Power Integrations, Delaware, 2012, 2
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, number of patents allegedly infringed upon | claim																	2
Litigation settlement, amount paid												$ 100
Loss contingency, number of patents infringed upon | claim																	1
Fairchild | Power Integrations, Northern District of California, 2009
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, number of patents allegedly infringed upon | patent																									3
Litigation settlement, amount paid											$ 139,800			$ 105,000
Gain contingency, number of patents allegedly infringed upon | patent																									2
Loss contingency, number of patents infringed upon | patent														2
Gain contingency, number of patents not infringed upon | patent														1
Litigation settlement, amount vacated													$ 105,000
Litigation settlement interest											$ 7,000
Fairchild | Power Integrations, Northern District of California, 2015
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, number of patents allegedly infringed upon | patent																								2
Gain contingency, number of patents allegedly infringed upon | patent																								4
Fairchild | Acbel Polytech, Inc.
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, estimate of possible loss									$ 17,000
ON Semi, SCI, and Fairchild | Power Integrations, Inc., USPTO
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, number of patents allegedly infringed upon | patent																						6
Fairchild
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Business acquisition, maximum indemnification period																							6 years
Subsequent Event | Power Integrations, Inc., USPTO
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Patents reviewed and found unpatentable | review	9