INCOME TAXES (Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Deferred income tax assets:
Net operating losses	$ 37,634	$ 46,723
Research and development, foreign tax and other tax credits	55,408	75,770
Accrued liabilities	37,380	30,599
Fixed assets	54,348	46,109
Intangible assets	11,977atml_DeferredTaxAssetsIntangibleAssets	10,555atml_DeferredTaxAssetsIntangibleAssets
Deferred income	10,319us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredIncome	5,261us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredIncome
Share-based compensation	3,291	5,889
Unrealized foreign exchange translation	2,424	1,109
Other	2,363us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther	970us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther
Total deferred income tax assets	215,144us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross	222,985us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross
Deferred income tax liabilities:
Foreign losses subject to recapture	(12,164)	(12,054)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(12,164)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities	(12,054)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities
Less valuation allowance	(40,372)	(41,321)
Reported as:
Current deferred tax assets	45,518us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent	35,493us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetCurrent
Current deferred tax liabilities	(182)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesCurrent	(208)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesCurrent
Non-current deferred tax assets	117,278us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetNoncurrent	134,365us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetNoncurrent
Non-current deferred tax liabilities	(6)	(40)
Net deferred income tax assets	$ 162,608us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet	$ 169,610us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet

The tax effect as of the balance sheet date of the amount of the estimated future tax deductions attributable to intangible assets related items, which can only be realized if sufficient taxable income is generated in future periods to enable the deduction to be taken.

No definition available.