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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details) (USD $)
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2013
Jun. 30, 2013
Mar. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Sep. 30, 2012
Jun. 30, 2012
Mar. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Concentration Risk [Line Items]                              
Weighted Average Interest Rate on Investments 0.76%powi_WeightedAverageInterestRateOnInvestments       0.74%powi_WeightedAverageInterestRateOnInvestments               0.76%powi_WeightedAverageInterestRateOnInvestments 0.74%powi_WeightedAverageInterestRateOnInvestments  
Common stock dividends declared $ 0.12us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.12us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.1us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.1us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.08us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.08us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.08us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.08us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.05us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.05us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.05us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.05us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared      
Payments of dividends $ 3,500,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends $ 3,600,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends $ 3,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends $ 3,000,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends $ 2,400,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends $ 2,400,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends $ 2,300,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends $ 2,300,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends $ 1,400,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends $ 1,400,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends $ 1,400,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends $ 1,400,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends $ 13,165,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends $ 9,446,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends $ 5,755,000us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividends
Deferred Revenue [Abstract]                              
Sell-through deferred revenue 25,000,000powi_DeferredRevenueGross       25,500,000powi_DeferredRevenueGross               25,000,000powi_DeferredRevenueGross 25,500,000powi_DeferredRevenueGross  
Sell-through deferred cost 9,800,000us-gaap_OtherDeferredCostsNet       9,800,000us-gaap_OtherDeferredCostsNet               9,800,000us-gaap_OtherDeferredCostsNet 9,800,000us-gaap_OtherDeferredCostsNet  
Inventories [Abstract]                              
Raw materials 21,127,000us-gaap_InventoryRawMaterialsNetOfReserves       8,221,000us-gaap_InventoryRawMaterialsNetOfReserves               21,127,000us-gaap_InventoryRawMaterialsNetOfReserves 8,221,000us-gaap_InventoryRawMaterialsNetOfReserves  
Work-in-process 14,643,000us-gaap_InventoryWorkInProcessNetOfReserves       13,216,000us-gaap_InventoryWorkInProcessNetOfReserves               14,643,000us-gaap_InventoryWorkInProcessNetOfReserves 13,216,000us-gaap_InventoryWorkInProcessNetOfReserves  
Finished goods 28,255,000us-gaap_InventoryFinishedGoodsNetOfReserves       20,798,000us-gaap_InventoryFinishedGoodsNetOfReserves               28,255,000us-gaap_InventoryFinishedGoodsNetOfReserves 20,798,000us-gaap_InventoryFinishedGoodsNetOfReserves  
Total 64,025,000us-gaap_InventoryNet       42,235,000us-gaap_InventoryNet               64,025,000us-gaap_InventoryNet 42,235,000us-gaap_InventoryNet  
Accounts Receivable [Abstract]                              
Accounts receivable trade 38,344,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableGrossCurrent       42,410,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableGrossCurrent               38,344,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableGrossCurrent 42,410,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableGrossCurrent  
Accrued ship and debit and rebate claims (27,967,000)powi_AccruedShipAndDebitAndRebateClaims       (29,901,000)powi_AccruedShipAndDebitAndRebateClaims               (27,967,000)powi_AccruedShipAndDebitAndRebateClaims (29,901,000)powi_AccruedShipAndDebitAndRebateClaims  
Allowance for doubtful accounts (191,000)us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent       (120,000)us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent               (191,000)us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent (120,000)us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivableCurrent  
Total 10,186,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent       12,389,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent               10,186,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent 12,389,000us-gaap_AccountsReceivableNetCurrent  
Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets [Abstract]                              
Prepaid legal fees 1,506,000powi_PrepaidLegalFees       6,267,000powi_PrepaidLegalFees               1,506,000powi_PrepaidLegalFees 6,267,000powi_PrepaidLegalFees  
Loan to Cambridge Semiconductor 6,600,000us-gaap_NotesAndLoansReceivableNetCurrent       0us-gaap_NotesAndLoansReceivableNetCurrent               6,600,000us-gaap_NotesAndLoansReceivableNetCurrent 0us-gaap_NotesAndLoansReceivableNetCurrent  
Advance to supplier 800,000us-gaap_Supplies       757,000us-gaap_Supplies               800,000us-gaap_Supplies 757,000us-gaap_Supplies  
Prepaid income tax 3,208,000us-gaap_PrepaidTaxes       7,521,000us-gaap_PrepaidTaxes               3,208,000us-gaap_PrepaidTaxes 7,521,000us-gaap_PrepaidTaxes  
Prepaid maintenance agreements 1,023,000powi_PrepaidMaintenanceAgreements       947,000powi_PrepaidMaintenanceAgreements               1,023,000powi_PrepaidMaintenanceAgreements 947,000powi_PrepaidMaintenanceAgreements  
Interest receivable 664,000us-gaap_InterestReceivableCurrent       519,000us-gaap_InterestReceivableCurrent               664,000us-gaap_InterestReceivableCurrent 519,000us-gaap_InterestReceivableCurrent  
Other 2,578,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent       2,621,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent               2,578,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent 2,621,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent  
Total 16,379,000us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseAndOtherAssetsCurrent       18,632,000us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseAndOtherAssetsCurrent               16,379,000us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseAndOtherAssetsCurrent 18,632,000us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseAndOtherAssetsCurrent  
Other Assets [Abstract]                              
Total 4,243,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent       3,476,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent               4,243,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent 3,476,000us-gaap_OtherAssetsNoncurrent  
Employee Benefits Plan [Abstract]                              
Discretionary company contribution to 401(k)                         1,100,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerDiscretionaryContributionAmount 1,100,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerDiscretionaryContributionAmount  
Foreign Exchange Transactions [Abstract]                              
Foreign exchange transaction gain                         100,000us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax (100,000)us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax (600,000)us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax
Warranty [Abstract]                              
Product warranty period                         12 months    
Advertising [Abstract]                              
Advertising costs                         1,500,000us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense 1,400,000us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense 1,100,000us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense
Customer Concentration Risk [Member] | Sales Revenue, Goods, Net [Member] | Distributors [Member]                              
Deferred Revenue [Abstract]                              
Concentration risk percentage                         75.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= us-gaap_SalesRevenueGoodsNetMember
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerConcentrationRiskMember
/ us-gaap_MajorCustomersAxis
= powi_DistributorsMember		    
State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]                              
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]                              
Income tax liability (refund) adjustment from settlement with taxing authority                     4,100,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationLiabilityRefundAdjustmentFromSettlementWithTaxingAuthority
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember		        
2007 through 2009 [Member] | Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member]                              
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]                              
Foreign earnings repatriated                         5,000,000us-gaap_ForeignEarningsRepatriated
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= us-gaap_InternalRevenueServiceIRSMember
/ us-gaap_TaxPeriodAxis
= powi_TaxYears2007through2009Member		    
2007 through 2009 [Member] | Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member] | Domestic Tax Authority [Member]                              
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]                              
Income tax liability (refund) adjustment from settlement with taxing authority (2,800,000)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationLiabilityRefundAdjustmentFromSettlementWithTaxingAuthority
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= us-gaap_InternalRevenueServiceIRSMember
/ us-gaap_TaxPeriodAxis
= powi_TaxYears2007through2009Member		                       (2,800,000)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationLiabilityRefundAdjustmentFromSettlementWithTaxingAuthority
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= us-gaap_InternalRevenueServiceIRSMember
/ us-gaap_TaxPeriodAxis
= powi_TaxYears2007through2009Member		    
2007 through 2009 [Member] | Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member] | State and Local Jurisdiction [Member]                              
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]                              
Income tax liability (refund) adjustment from settlement with taxing authority $ (500,000)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationLiabilityRefundAdjustmentFromSettlementWithTaxingAuthority
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= us-gaap_InternalRevenueServiceIRSMember
/ us-gaap_TaxPeriodAxis
= powi_TaxYears2007through2009Member		                       $ (500,000)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationLiabilityRefundAdjustmentFromSettlementWithTaxingAuthority
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis
= us-gaap_InternalRevenueServiceIRSMember
/ us-gaap_TaxPeriodAxis
= powi_TaxYears2007through2009Member