Financial Instruments - Financial Instruments Measured on Recurring Basis (Detail) (USD $)
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Dec. 31, 2014
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Dec. 31, 2013
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
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Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
$ 60,513,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
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$ 60,311,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
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Money market funds [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
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Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
1,858,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
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406,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
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Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
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Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
1,858,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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406,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Liabilities |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
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Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
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Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Money market funds [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
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Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
1,858,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
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406,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
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Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
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Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
58,655,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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59,905,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Liabilities |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
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Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
27,151,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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26,537,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
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Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
31,504,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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33,368,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Money market funds [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
|
|
Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
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0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
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Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
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Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Liabilities |
265,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
|
|
Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
|
|
Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Money market funds [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
|
|
Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
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0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
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Contingent Consideration [Member] | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
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Liabilities |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member / us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis = mxl_ContingentConsiderationMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Contingent Consideration [Member] | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
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Liabilities |
0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis = mxl_ContingentConsiderationMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Contingent Consideration [Member] | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
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Liabilities |
265,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis = mxl_ContingentConsiderationMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
|
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Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
60,513,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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60,311,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Liabilities |
265,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member] |
|
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
|
|
Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
27,151,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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26,537,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member] |
|
|
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
|
|
Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
31,504,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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33,368,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Money market funds [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
|
|
Fair value, available-for-sale securities |
1,858,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
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406,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
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Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Contingent Consideration [Member] | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] |
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Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |
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Liabilities |
$ 265,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent / us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis = mxl_ContingentConsiderationMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
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