Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Purchase Commitments	$ 9
Other Commitments	48
Other Commitment amounts paid	25
Other Commitment Remaining Minimum Amount Paid For Capital Expenditures	$ 21
Long-term Purchase Commitment, Description	During 2010, the Company entered into an investment agreement with the Management Committee of the Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone (the “CDHT”). Under this agreement, the Company agreed to form a joint venture with a Chinese partner, Chengdu Ya Guang Electronic Company Limited, to establish a semiconductor manufacturing facility for surface-mounted component production, assembly and test in Chengdu, China. This is a long-term, multi-year project that will provide additional capacity for the Company as needed.
Long-term Purchase Commitment, Time Period	In order to qualify for certain financial incentives, the Company is obligated to contribute approximately $48 million to the joint venture by December 31, 2013.
Description of Material Contingencies of Parent Company	Contingencies - From time to time, the Company may be involved in a variety of legal matters that arise in the normal course of business. Based on information available, the Company evaluates the likelihood of potential outcomes. The Company records the appropriate liability when the amount is deemed probable and reasonably estimable. In addition, the Company does not accrue for estimated legal fees and other directly related costs as they are expensed as incurred. The Company is currently a party to a purported stockholder derivative action in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, entitled Scherer v. Keh-Shew Lu, Civil Action No. 1:13-cv-00358-UNA (D. Del. filed Mar. 5, 2013), on behalf of the Company against its directors, in which plaintiff alleges that (a) the Board approved awards of stock options to Dr. Keh-Shew Lu, our President and Chief Executive Officer, in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 that exceeded the limitation on the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock that may be purchased upon the exercise of options granted to any person in any given year under the Company’s 2001 Incentive Plan as amended by the stockholders on May 28, 2009; (b) the Company’s disclosures in its 2010, 2011 and 2012 proxy statements regarding the limitation on the number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock that may be purchased upon the exercise of options granted to any person in any given year under the Company’s 2001 Incentive Plan as amended by the stockholders on May 28, 2009 were inaccurate; and (c) the Company’s disclosures in its 2010, 2011 and 2012 proxy statements that the grants of stock options to Dr. Lu in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 complied with the terms of the Company’s 2001 Incentive Plan as amended by the stockholders on May 28, 2009 were incorrect. The Compensation Committee reviewed the grants of stock options to Dr. Lu in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 (each such annual grant, an “Option Grant”), and approved a Confirmation Agreement, dated April 1, 2013, in which the Company and Dr. Lu agree and confirm that Dr. Lu will assert no claim that any Option Grant in 2009, 2010, 2011 or 2012 provided for the purchase of more than 100,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock, and that each Option Grant document be deemed amended to reflect the foregoing 100,000 share limitation. On April 3, 2013, defendants and the Company filed answers to the complaint. On May 8, 2013, defendants filed a motion for judgment on the pleadings dismissing the action on the ground that the claims are moot. A hearing date has not been set. The Company is also currently a party to a putative securities class action in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, entitled Local 731 I.B. of T. Excavators and Pavers Pension Trust Fund v. Diodes, Inc., Civil Action No. 6:13-cv-247 (E.D. Tex. filed Mar. 15, 2013), against the Company, Dr. Lu and Richard White, in which plaintiff, purportedly on behalf of a class of investors who purchased the Company’s Common Stock between February 9, 2011 and June 9, 2011, alleges that defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder in connection with allegedly public statements made during the class period regarding the labor market in China and its impact on the Company’s business and prospects. Pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (“Reform Act”), motions for appointment of lead plaintiff are due to be filed by May 14, 2013. Pursuant to the Court’s order dated April 26, 2013, (1) in the event the putative class member ultimately appointed as lead plaintiff wishes to file an amended complaint, lead plaintiff shall do so no later than forty-five (45) days after entry of an order appointing the lead plaintiff; (2) no later than fifteen (15) days after entry of an order appointing the lead plaintiff, lead plaintiff must file a notice with the Court indicating whether it will file an amended complaint; (3) defendants shall file an answer or motion directed to the operative complaint in this action no later than forty-five (45) days after service of an amended complaint or notice of lead plaintiff’s decision not to file an amended complaint, as applicable; and (4) in the event defendants file a motion or motions directed to the operative complaint in this action, (i) lead plaintiff shall file his, her or its opposition, if any, within forty-five (45) days after service of such motion(s) and (ii) defendants shall file their reply, if any, within thirty (30) days after service of lead plaintiff’s opposition. Pursuant to the Reform Act, all discovery and other proceedings are stayed pending a ruling on any motion to dismiss.