Name:	spwr_AffiliationAgreementLimitOnPercentageOfOutstandingVotingPowerAcquirerCanSeek
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Limitation on acquirer's ability to transfer outstanding shares or voting power of the Company to a single person or group that is not a direct or indirect subsidiary of Parent, Percentage of outstanding shares threhold.

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_AffiliationAgreementThresholdOnTransferOfVotingInterestToSinglePartyNotDirectOrIndirectSubsidiaryOfParent
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

By Laws Amendment, Minimum Percentage of Voting Interest Collectively Owned by Acquirer and Parent's subsidiaries under Which Approval from Independent Directors is required to amend by-laws.

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_ByLawsAmendmentMinimumPercentageOfVotingInterestOwnedByAcquirerUnderWhichApprovalFromIndependtDirectorsIsRequired
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Tender Offer Agreement, Guaranty Fees Incurred

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_CreditSupportAgreementGuarantyFeesIncurred
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Debt Instrument, Face Amount, Acquired by Total

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_DebtInstrumentFaceAmountAcquiredbyTotal
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Funding Received from Research & Collaboration Agreement

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_FundingReceivedfromResearchCollaborationAgreement
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Liquidity Support Facility, Maximum Capacity

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_LiquiditySupportAgreementMaximumCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Liquidity Support Facility, Unrestricted Cash, Cash Equivalents and Unused Borrowing Capacity, Threshold for Liquidity Support

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_LiquiditySupportAgreementUnrestrictedCashCashEquivalentsAndUnusedBorrowingCapacityThresholdForLiquiditySupport
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Liquidity Support Facility, Utilized Capacity

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_LiquiditySupportAgreementUtilizedCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Liquidity Support Facility, Available Capacity

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_LiquiditySupportFacilityAvailableCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Liquidity Support Facility, Basis Spread LIBOR Rate

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_LiquiditySupportFacilityBasisSpreadLiborRate
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Liquidity Support Facility, Commitment Fees

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_LiquiditySupportFacilityCommitmentFees
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Liquidity Support Facility, Time Period After Calendar Quarter For Required Cash Payments

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_LiquiditySupportFacilityTimePeriodAfterCalendarQuarterForRequiredCashPayments
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	us-types:durationStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Liquidity Support Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee Percentage

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_LiquiditySupportFacilityUnusedCapacityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Liquidity Support Facility, Warrant Issued, Exercise Price Per Share

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_LiquiditySupportFacilityWarrantIssuedExercisePricePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Liquidity Support Facility, Warrant Issued, Number of Common Stock Shares

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_LiquiditySupportFacilityWarrantIssuedNumberOfCommonStockShares
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Liquidity Support Facility, Warrant, Maximum Ownership Percentage Allowed

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_LiquiditySupportFacilityWarrantMaximumOwnershipPercentageAllowed
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Liquidity Support Facility, Warrant, Minimum Amount of Outstanding Convertible Debt Required to be Outstanding

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_LiquiditySupportFacilityWarrantMinimumAmountOfOutstandingConvertibleDebtRequiredToBeOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Liquidity Support Facility, Upfront Warrant, Numerator For Warrant Shares Calculation

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_LiquiditySupportFacilityWarrantNumeratorForWarrantSharesCalculation
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Liquidity Support Facility, Warrant Term

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_LiquiditySupportFacilityWarrantTerm
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	us-types:durationStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Liquidity Support Facility, Upfront Warrant, Trading Period For Warrant Shares Calculation

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_LiquiditySupportFacilityWarrantTradingPeriodForWarrantSharesCalculation
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	us-types:durationStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Master Agreement, Maximum R&D Funding

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_MasterAgreementMaximumRAndDFunding
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Minimum percentage of shares held by Total before triggering termination threshold

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_RegistrationRightsAgreementMinimumSharesHeldTerminationThresholdPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Tender Offer Agreement, Registration Rights Agreement Termination, Number of Days Shares Can Be Resold

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_RegistrationRightsAgreementNumberOfDaysSharesCanBeResoldTermination
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	us-types:durationStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Tender Offer, Actual Tendered Shares.

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_TenderOfferActualTenderedShares
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Tender Offer, Actual Tendered Shares, Total Costs

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_TenderOfferActualTenderedSharesTotalCosts
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Tender Offer Agreement, Date

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_TenderOfferAgreementDate
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Tender Offer Agreement, Date of European Commission Clearance

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_TenderOfferAgreementDateOfEuropeanCommissionClearance
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Tender Offer Agreement, Expiration Date

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_TenderOfferAgreementExpirationDate
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Date on which the outstanding shares were calculated to compute the 60% share tender and purchase by Total

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_TenderOfferAgreementOutstandingSharesCalculationDate
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Tender Offer Agreement, Payment Date

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_TenderOfferAgreementPaymentDate
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Tender Offer Agreement, Percentage of Outstanding Share Acquired

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_TenderOfferAgreementPercentageOfOutstandingSharesAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Tender Offer Agreement, Percentage of Outstanding Share to be Acquired Under Agreement

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_TenderOfferAgreementPercentageOfOutstandingShareToBeAcquiredUnderAgreement
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Tender Offer Agreement, Purchase Price per Share.

No definition available.

Name:	spwr_TenderOfferAgreementPurchasePricePerShare
Namespace Prefix:	spwr_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The total cost of the acquired entity including the cash paid to shareholders of acquired entities, fair value of debt and equity securities issued to shareholders of acquired entities, the fair value of the liabilities assumed, and direct costs of the acquisition.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 141

-Paragraph 51

-Subparagraph d

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityPurchasePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Percentage of voting equity interests acquired in the business combination.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 805

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7659399&loc=d3e1392-128463

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 141R

-Paragraph 68

-Subparagraph c

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The stated principal amount of the debt instrument at time of issuance, which may vary from the carrying amount because of unamortized premium or discount.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584090&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 21

-Paragraph 16, 20

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

The number of issuer's shares to which the option contract is indexed.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)

-Number 00-19

-Paragraph 50

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 40

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (a)(3)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6445032&loc=d3e90205-114008

Name:	us-gaap_OptionIndexedToIssuersEquityIndexedShares
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The exercise (or strike) price stated in the contract. The fixed price at which the option holder can purchase, in the case of a call option, or sell, in the case of a put option, on the underlying security.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF)

-Number 00-19

-Paragraph 50

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 40

-Section 50

-Paragraph 5

-Subparagraph (a)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6445032&loc=d3e90205-114008

Name:	us-gaap_OptionIndexedToIssuersEquityStrikePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:perUnitItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The number of shares issued or sold by the subsidiary or equity method investee per stock transaction.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 5

-Section H

Name:	us-gaap_SaleOfStockNumberOfSharesIssuedInTransaction
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Percentage of subsidiary's or equity investee's stock owned by parent company after stock transaction.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 5

-Section H

Name:	us-gaap_SaleOfStockPercentageOfOwnershipAfterTransaction
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Per share amount received by subsidiary or equity investee for each share of common stock issued or sold in the stock transaction.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 5

-Section H