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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Property and Equipment) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Depreciation $ 15,884us-gaap_Depreciation $ 16,088us-gaap_Depreciation $ 15,256us-gaap_Depreciation
Property and equipment [Abstract]      
Gross 231,621us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross 214,039us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross  
Accumulated depreciation (135,798)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment (123,898)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment  
Total 95,823us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet 90,141us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet  
Property and Equipment [Member] | Geographic Concentration Risk [Member] | United States      
Property and equipment [Abstract]      
Gross 140,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= powi_PropertyAndEquipmentMember
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_GeographicConcentrationRiskMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_US
134,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= powi_PropertyAndEquipmentMember
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_GeographicConcentrationRiskMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_US
126,000us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= powi_PropertyAndEquipmentMember
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_GeographicConcentrationRiskMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_US
Property and Equipment [Member] | Geographic Concentration Risk [Member] | THAILAND      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Concentration risk percentage 13.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= powi_PropertyAndEquipmentMember
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_GeographicConcentrationRiskMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_TH
   
Property and Equipment [Member] | Geographic Concentration Risk [Member] | No Countries [Member]      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Concentration risk percentage   10.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= powi_PropertyAndEquipmentMember
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_GeographicConcentrationRiskMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= powi_NoCountriesMember
10.00%us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByBenchmarkAxis
= powi_PropertyAndEquipmentMember
/ us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_GeographicConcentrationRiskMember
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= powi_NoCountriesMember
Land [Member]      
Property and equipment [Abstract]      
Gross 16,754us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandMember
16,754us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LandMember
 
Construction-in-Progress [Member]      
Property and equipment [Abstract]      
Gross 8,068us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
8,003us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ConstructionInProgressMember
 
Building and Improvements [Member]      
Property and equipment [Abstract]      
Gross 44,794us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_BuildingAndBuildingImprovementsMember
43,641us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_BuildingAndBuildingImprovementsMember
 
Machinery and Equipment [Member]      
Property and equipment [Abstract]      
Gross 124,138us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentMember
111,314us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentMember
 
Computer software and hardware and office furniture and fixtures [Member]      
Property and equipment [Abstract]      
Gross $ 37,867us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= powi_OfficeFurnitureAndEquipmentMember
$ 34,327us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= powi_OfficeFurnitureAndEquipmentMember
 
Minimum [Member] | Building and Improvements [Member]      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Useful life (in years) 4 years    
Minimum [Member] | Machinery and Equipment [Member]      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Useful life (in years) 2 years    
Minimum [Member] | Computer software and hardware and office furniture and fixtures [Member]      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Useful life (in years) 4 years    
Maximum [Member] | Building and Improvements [Member]      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Useful life (in years) 40 years    
Maximum [Member] | Machinery and Equipment [Member]      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Useful life (in years) 8 years    
Maximum [Member] | Computer software and hardware and office furniture and fixtures [Member]      
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]      
Useful life (in years) 5 years