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Note 2 Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Narratives) (Details)
 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2012
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2011
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2013
Maximum [Member]
Mar. 31, 2013
Minimum [Member]
Mar. 31, 2013
Powersem GmbH [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2012
Powersem GmbH [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2011
Powersem GmbH [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2013
EB Tech Ltd [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2012
EB Tech Ltd [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2011
EB Tech Ltd [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2011
Zencell Co. Ltd [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2010
Zencell Co. Ltd [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2013
Zencell Co. Ltd [Member]
Mar. 31, 2013
IKB Deutshe Industriebank Loan Payable [Member]
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2013
IKB Deutshe Industriebank Loan Payable [Member]
EUR (€)
Mar. 31, 2013
Equipment Owned [Member]
Mar. 31, 2013
Property and Plant [Member]
Revenue Recognition [Abstract]                                    
Revenue from Distributors 57.40%                                  
Sales Returns under Stock Rotation $ 2,400,000 $ 2,100,000 $ 916,000                              
Restricted Cash and Investments, Current [Abstract]                                    
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Current 314,000 509,000                                
Inventory Disclosure [Abstract]                                    
Gross Profit Margin from Sales of Excess Inventory 100.00%                                  
Product Part Numbers more than 10,000                                  
Inventory Valuation Reserves, Lower of Cost or Market Value 670,000 630,000                                
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]                                    
Property, Plant and Equipment, Estimated Useful Lives                                 1 to 14 years 24 years to 50 years
Property, Plant and Equipment, Assets Depreciation Method straight-line                                  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                    
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date                             Jun. 10, 2005 Jun. 10, 2005    
Debt Instrument, Face Amount                             12,200,000 10,000,000    
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date                             Jun. 30, 2020 Jun. 30, 2020    
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]                                    
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage           45.00%     20.00%         35.00%        
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments           107,000 461,000 526,000 124,000 190,000 205,000 (102,000) (46,000)          
Investment Contract Settlement Date Nov. 05, 2009                                  
Equity Method Investment, Shares Acquired 53,847                                  
Equity Method Investment, Aggregate Cost 500,000                                  
Equity Investment Investee Bankruptcy, Date Petition for Bankruptcy Filed March 2011                                  
Equity Method Investment, Other than Temporary Impairment                       (502,000)            
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]                                    
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life       6 years 1 year                          
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Amortization Method straight-line                                  
Marketing and Advertising Expense [Abstract]                                    
Advertising Expense $ 649,000 $ 655,000 $ 547,000                              
Risks and Uncertainties [Abstract]                                    
Percentage of Wafers Manufactured Internally 63.50%                                  
Percentage of Wafers Manufactured Externally 36.50%                                  
Concentration Risk, Supplier Dependence on Suppliers We purchase silicon substrates from a limited number of vendors, most of whom we do not have long term supply agreements with. Any of these suppliers could terminate their relationship with us at any time. Our reliance on a limited number of suppliers involves several risks, including potential inability to obtain an adequate supply of silicon substrates and reduced control over the price, timely delivery, reliability and quality of the silicon substrates. There can be no assurance that problems will not occur in the future with suppliers.                                  
Concentration Risk, Labor Subject to Collective Bargaining Arrangements Employees Covered by Collective Bargaining Arrangements Approximately 100, or 58.5%, and 383, or 95.8%, of our employees in the United Kingdom and Germany, respectively, have their pay negotiated by a labor union.                                  
Concentration Risk, Credit Risk

Concentration of Credit Risk

 

Financial instruments that potentially subject us to credit risk comprise principally cash and cash equivalents and trade accounts receivable. We invest our excess cash in accordance with our investment policy that has been approved by the Board of Directors and is reviewed periodically by management to minimize credit risk. Regarding cash and cash equivalents, the policy authorizes the investment of excess cash in deposit accounts, time deposits, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, commercial paper rated AA or better and other money market accounts and instruments of similar liquidity and credit quality.

 

We invest our excess cash primarily in foreign and domestic banks in short term time deposit and money market accounts. Maturities are generally three months or less. Our non-interest bearing domestic cash balances exceed federally insured limits. Additionally, we may invest in commercial paper with financial institutions that management believes to be creditworthy. These securities mature within ninety days or less and bear minimal credit risk. We have not experienced any losses on such investments.

 

We sell our products primarily to distributors and original equipment manufacturers. We perform ongoing credit evaluations of our customers and generally do not require collateral. An allowance for potential credit losses is maintained by us. See Note 14, “Segment and Geographic Information” for a discussion of revenues by geography.

 

 

We continually monitor the credit risk in our portfolio and mitigate our credit risk exposures in accordance with the policies approved by our Board of Directors.

 

 

                                  
Concentration Risk, Customer In fiscal 2013, 2012, and 2011, one distributor accounted for 13.2%, 11.1%, and 11.9% of our net revenues, respectively, and another distributor accounted for 10.3%, 11.3% and 11.8% of our net revenues, respectively.