Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Stock-Based Compensation and Employee Benefit Plans Fair Value of Employee Stock Purchase Rights (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Stock-Based Compensation and Employee Benefit Plans Fair Value of Employee Stock Purchase Rights (Details) (Two Thousand Ten Employee Stock Purchase Plan [Member], USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Dividend yield 0.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate 0.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate 0.00%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate
Expected life (years) 6 months 6 months 6 months
Minimum [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Weighted-average grant date fair value per share (usd per share) 2.03us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
1.85us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
1.28us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
Risk-free interest rate 0.05%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
0.09%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
0.14%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
Volatility 47.75%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
34.24%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
46.60%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
Maximum [Member]      
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]      
Weighted-average grant date fair value per share (usd per share) 2.47us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
2.09us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
1.42us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
Risk-free interest rate 0.07%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
0.10%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
0.15%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
Volatility 46.82%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
41.58%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
55.74%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= mxl_EmployeeStockPurchaseRightsMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember