Consolidated Statement of Stockholders' Equity (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified		Total USD ($)		Capital Units [Member]	Common Stock [Member] USD ($)	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] USD ($)	Treasury Stock [Member] USD ($)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] USD ($)	Retained Earnings [Member] USD ($)	Total [Member] USD ($)
Balances beginning of the year at Jan. 03, 2010					$ 97	$ 1,520,933	$ (12,984)	$ (17,357)	$ (114,309)	$ 1,376,380
Shares issued, beginning of the year at Jan. 03, 2010				97,072
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		178,724							178,724	178,724
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)								20,997		20,997
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of options, values						867				867
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of options, shares				303
Issuance of restricted stock to employees, net of cancellations, values					1					1
Issuance of restricted stock to employees, net of cancellations, shares				967
Fair value of warrant transactions						30,218				30,218
Excess tax benefits from stock based award activity						237				237
Stock-based compensation expense						54,442				54,442
Distribution to Cypress under tax sharing agreement									(743)	(743)
Purchases of treasury stock, value							(3,689)			(3,689)
Purchases of treasury stock, shares				(236)
Balances end of the year at Jan. 02, 2011					98	1,606,697	(16,673)	3,640	63,672	1,657,434
Shares issued, end of the year at Jan. 02, 2011				98,106
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		(613,737)	[1],[2]						(613,737)	(613,737)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)								3,502		3,502
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of options, values					1	4,051				4,052
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of options, shares				993
Issuance of restricted stock to employees, net of cancellations, values					2					2
Issuance of restricted stock to employees, net of cancellations, shares				2,161
Fair value of warrant transactions						2,261				2,261
Excess tax benefits from stock based award activity						(2,415)				(2,415)
Stock-based compensation expense						46,880				46,880
Purchases of treasury stock, value					(1)		(11,744)			(11,745)
Purchases of treasury stock, shares				(784)
Transfer of entity under common contron (Note 3)						188,491				188,491
Balances end of the year at Jan. 01, 2012	[1]	1,274,725	[2]		100	1,845,965	(28,417)	7,142	(550,065)	1,274,725
Shares issued, end of the year at Jan. 01, 2012	[1]			100,476
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		(352,020)							(352,020)	(352,020)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)								(9,663)		(9,663)
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of options, values						52				52
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of options, shares				20
Issuance of restricted stock to employees, net of cancellations, values					2	(2)
Issuance of restricted stock to employees, net of cancellations, shares				2,844
Fair value of warrant transactions						50,327				50,327
Stock-based compensation expense						41,646				41,646
Private offering of common stock, net of issuance costs					19	163,596				163,615
Private offering of common stock, net of issuance costs (shares)				18,600
Purchases of treasury stock, value							(5,693)			(5,693)
Purchases of treasury stock, shares				(906)
Cash distribution to Parent in connection with the transfer of entities under common control (Note 3)						(169,637)				(169,637)
Returned shares from share lending agreement (Note 3)					(2)		2
Returned shares from share lending agreement (Note 3, shares)				(1,800)
Balances end of the year at Dec. 30, 2012		$ 993,352			$ 119	$ 1,931,947	$ (34,108)	$ (2,521)	$ (902,085)	$ 993,352
Shares issued, end of the year at Dec. 30, 2012				119,234

[1] As adjusted to reflect the balances of Tenesol S.A. ("Tenesol") beginning October 10, 2011, as required under the accounting guidelines for a transfer of an entity under common control (see Note 3).

[2] As adjusted to conform to the current period presentation for solar power systems leased and to be leased (see Note 1).