Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Balance Sheet Details - Intangible Assets (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
Balance Sheet Details - Intangible Assets (Detail) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Intangibles assets, Gross $ 3,291us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross $ 3,086us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
Total 10,191us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet 10,386us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsNet
Licensed Technology [Member]    
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Weighted average amortization period in years 3 years  
Intangibles assets, Gross 2,821us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= mxl_LicensedTechnologyMember
2,821us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= mxl_LicensedTechnologyMember
Less accumulated amortization (2,630)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= mxl_LicensedTechnologyMember
(2,435)us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsAccumulatedAmortization
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= mxl_LicensedTechnologyMember
Developed Technology Rights [Member]    
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Weighted average amortization period in years 7 years  
Intangibles assets, Gross 3,100us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
2,700us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
In Process Research and Development [Member]    
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]    
Intangibles assets, Gross $ 6,900us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_InProcessResearchAndDevelopmentMember
$ 7,300us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsGross
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_InProcessResearchAndDevelopmentMember