| Financial Instruments - Financial Instruments Measured on Recurring Basis (Detail) (USD $)
 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | 
      
        | Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |  | 
      
        | Fair value, available-for-sale securities | $ 60,513,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities | $ 60,311,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities | 
      
        | Money market funds [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | 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_InvestmentTypeAxis
 = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
 | 406,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
 = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
 | 
      
        | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | 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_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 406,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 
      
        | Liabilities | 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 |  | 
      
        | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | 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_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis
 = us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 
      
        | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | 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_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis
 = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 
      
        | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] | Money market funds [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | 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_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
 = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
 | 406,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
 = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
 | 
      
        | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |  | 
      
        | Fair value, available-for-sale securities | 58,655,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 59,905,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 
      
        | Liabilities | 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 |  | 
      
        | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | 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_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 26,537,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis
 = us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 
      
        | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [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_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 33,368,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis
 = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 
      
        | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Money market funds [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | 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
 | 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
 = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
 | 
      
        | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | 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
 | 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 
      
        | Liabilities | 265,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 |  | 
      
        | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | 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
 | 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis
 = us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 
      
        | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | 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
 | 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis
 = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 
      
        | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Money market funds [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | 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
 | 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
 = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
 | 
      
        | Contingent Consideration [Member] | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |  | 
      
        | Liabilities | 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
 = mxl_ContingentConsiderationMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 |  | 
      
        | Contingent Consideration [Member] | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |  | 
      
        | Liabilities | 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
 = mxl_ContingentConsiderationMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 |  | 
      
        | Contingent Consideration [Member] | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |  | 
      
        | Liabilities | 265,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
 / us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
 = mxl_ContingentConsiderationMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 |  | 
      
        | Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |  | 
      
        | Fair value, available-for-sale securities | 60,513,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
 = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 60,311,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
 = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 
      
        | Liabilities | 265,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
 = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 |  | 
      
        | Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | 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
 | 26,537,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis
 = us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
 = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 
      
        | 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
 | 33,368,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis
 = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
 = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 | 
      
        | Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] | Money market funds [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | 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
 | 406,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
 = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 / us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
 = us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsMember
 | 
      
        | Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Contingent Consideration [Member] | Fair Value Measurements Recurring [Member] |  |  | 
      
        | Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items] |  |  | 
      
        | Liabilities | $ 265,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecuritiesCurrent / us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis
 = mxl_ContingentConsiderationMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
 = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
 / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
 = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 |  |