Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Fair value of assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis
Short-term investments	$ 85,347	$ 85,347	$ 98,341
Contingent consideration payments			56,668
Summary of changes in fair value of the Company's Level 3 items
Balance at the beginning of the period		56,668
Accretion of discount on contingent consideration liabilities		1,145
Payment of contingent acquisition related obligations		(40,000)
Change in contingent acquisition related obligations (Note 15)	(17,813)	(17,813)
Balance at the end of the period			56,668
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)
Fair value of assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis
Short-term investments	$ 85,347	$ 85,347	$ 98,341

The change in contingent acquisition related obligations.

Name:	aph_ChangeInContingentAcquisitionRelatedObligations
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	aph_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisFinancialStatementCaptionsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	aph
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the accretion of the discount on contingent consideration liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis using unobservable inputs (Level 3).

+ Details

Name:	aph_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAccretionOfDiscountOnContingentConsiderationLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	aph
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the contingent consideration liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis using unobservable inputs (Level 3).

+ Details

Name:	aph_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisFairValueOfContingentConsiderationLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	aph
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents a liability measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) which is required for reconciliation purposes of beginning and ending balances.

+ Details

Name:	aph_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationsRecurringBasisLiabilityValue
Namespace Prefix:	aph
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the cash outflow for payment of contingent consideration obligations related to acquisition.

+ Details

Name:	aph_PaymentOfContingentAcquisitionRelatedObligationsFinancingActivitiesImpact
Namespace Prefix:	aph
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringBasisUnobservableInputReconciliationCalculationRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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- Definition

Investments which are intended to be sold in the short term (usually less than one year or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer) including trading securities, available-for-sale securities, held-to-maturity securities, and other short-term investments not otherwise listed in the existing taxonomy.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph g
-Article 7

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant