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STOCK PLANS AND SHARE BASED COMPENSATION (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
plans
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Number of stock-based compensation plans 2powi_NumberOfStockBasedCompensationPlans    
Number of shares available for future issuance 3,300,000us-gaap_CommonStockCapitalSharesReservedForFutureIssuance    
Stock-based compensation expense $ 14,282,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense $ 16,485,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense $ 14,224,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
2007 Equity Incentive Plan [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Common stock reserved for future issuance under stock option and stock purchase plans 6,521,417us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
/ powi_ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardPlanNameAxis
= powi_EquityIncentivePlan2007Member
   
Nonstatutory Stock Options [Member] | 2007 Equity Incentive Plan [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Exercise price of stock options as percentage of fair market value on date of grant, minimum 100.00%powi_ExercisePriceAsPercentageOfFairMarketValueOnGrantDateMinimum
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= powi_NonstatutoryStockOptionsMember
/ powi_ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardPlanNameAxis
= powi_EquityIncentivePlan2007Member
   
Incentive Stock Options [Member] | 2007 Equity Incentive Plan [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Exercise price of stock options as percentage of fair market value on date of grant, minimum 100.00%powi_ExercisePriceAsPercentageOfFairMarketValueOnGrantDateMinimum
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= powi_IncentiveStockOptionsMember
/ powi_ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardPlanNameAxis
= powi_EquityIncentivePlan2007Member
   
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Awards vesting period 4 years    
Stock-based compensation expense 11,300,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
9,800,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
7,000,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] | Directors Equity Compensation Program [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Factor used to determine the number of options/units to be purchased 100,000powi_FactorUsedToDetermineNumberOfOptionsUnitsToBeGranted
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
/ powi_ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardPlanNameAxis
= powi_DirectorsEquityCompensationProgramMember
   
Employee Stock [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Maximum percentage of employee's compensation eligible for payroll deductions 15.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardMaximumEmployeeSubscriptionRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
   
Purchase price of the purchase plan as percentage of the lower of the fair market value on the first day of each offering period or on the purchase date 85.00%powi_PurchasePriceAsPercentageOfLowerOfFairMarketValueOnFirstDayOfOfferingPeriodOrPurchaseDate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
   
Number of purchase period in each offering period 1powi_NumberOfPurchasePeriodInEachOfferingPeriod
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
   
Duration of each purchase period in each offering period 6 months    
Shares reserved for issuance 3,000,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
   
Number of shares purchased 2,700,000powi_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEmployeeSharesPurchasedForAward
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
   
Common stock reserved for future issuance under stock option and stock purchase plans 300,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
   
Stock-based compensation expense 1,300,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
1,200,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
1,100,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockMember
Stock Options [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Awards vesting period 4 years    
Stock-based compensation expense 1,200,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
2,300,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
4,000,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
Stock Options [Member] | 2007 Equity Incentive Plan [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Awards vesting period 48 months    
Awards expiration period, maximum 10 years    
Stock Options [Member] | Directors Equity Compensation Program [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Factor used to determine the number of options/units to be purchased 100,000powi_FactorUsedToDetermineNumberOfOptionsUnitsToBeGranted
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ powi_ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardPlanNameAxis
= powi_DirectorsEquityCompensationProgramMember
   
Stock Options and Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member] | Directors Equity Compensation Program [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Factor used to determine the number of options/units to be purchased $ 100,000powi_FactorUsedToDetermineNumberOfOptionsUnitsToBeGranted
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= powi_StockOptionsAndRestrictedStockUnitsRsusMember
/ powi_ScheduleOfShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardPlanNameAxis
= powi_DirectorsEquityCompensationProgramMember