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Note 11 - Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Jan. 01, 2012
Apr. 30, 2011
Note 11 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]          
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance $ 19,051,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance $ 16,739,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance      
Operating Loss Carryforwards 24,500,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards 33,200,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards      
Unrecognized Tax Benefits 16,406,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 14,922,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 13,081,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 12,204,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits  
Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate 4,800,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate 5,000,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate      
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Interest on Income Taxes Accrued 500,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesAccrued 800,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesAccrued      
Income Tax Examination, Liability (Refund) Adjustment from Settlement with Taxing Authority         10,500,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationLiabilityRefundAdjustmentFromSettlementWithTaxingAuthority
Domestic Tax Authority [Member] | Exercised Stock Option [Member]          
Note 11 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]          
Tax Credit Carryforward, Amount   4,000,000us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
/ us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis
= mpwr_ExercisedStockOptionMember
     
Domestic Tax Authority [Member]          
Note 11 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]          
Operating Loss Carryforwards 24,500,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
       
Tax Credit Carryforward, Amount   16,700,000us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
     
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member] | Exercised Stock Option [Member]          
Note 11 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]          
Tax Credit Carryforward, Amount   1,400,000us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember
/ us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis
= mpwr_ExercisedStockOptionMember
     
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]          
Note 11 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]          
Operating Loss Carryforwards 28,000,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember
       
Tax Credit Carryforward, Amount   14,700,000us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember
     
Increase In R & D Credits [Member]          
Note 11 - Income Taxes (Details) [Line Items]          
Federal R&D credit $ 1,900,000mpwr_FederalRAndDcredit
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= mpwr_IncreaseInRAndDCreditsMember