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Significant Accounting Policies - Narrative (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Oct. 28, 2012
Jan. 25, 2015
Jan. 26, 2014
Jan. 27, 2013
Other Intangible Assets and Long-lived Assets [Abstract]        
Percent of realizable undiscounted cash flows used to determine useful life of acquired finite-lived intangible assets, minimum   90.00%smtc_AcquiredFiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsPercentageOfRealizableUndiscountedCashFlowsUsedToDetermineUsefulLifeMinimum    
Licensing Revenue [Abstract]        
License revenue from a single licensing arrangement $ 7,500,000smtc_LicenseRevenueFromSingleLicensingArrangement      
Sales and Marketing [Abstract]        
Advertising Expense   52,000us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense 118,000us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense 119,000us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense
Product Development and Engineering [Abstract]        
Recoveries from nonrecurring engineering services   $ 29,300,000smtc_ResearchAndDevelopmentRecoveriesFromEngineeringServices $ 17,600,000smtc_ResearchAndDevelopmentRecoveriesFromEngineeringServices $ 12,500,000smtc_ResearchAndDevelopmentRecoveriesFromEngineeringServices
Maximum        
Investment maturity period   90 days