Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Income Taxes Income Taxes - Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Income Taxes Income Taxes - Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Income Tax Reconciliation [Line Items]      
Provision (benefit) at statutory rate $ (2,973)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate $ (4,191)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate $ (4,390)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationIncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAtFederalStatutoryIncomeTaxRate
State income tax (net of federal benefit) (391)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes 1us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes (1,247)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationStateAndLocalIncomeTaxes
Research and development credits (66)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxCreditsResearch (3,630)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxCreditsResearch (858)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationTaxCreditsResearch
Foreign rate differential (31)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential (80)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential 445us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationForeignIncomeTaxRateDifferential
Stock compensation 609us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseShareBasedCompensationCost 460us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseShareBasedCompensationCost 278us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationNondeductibleExpenseShareBasedCompensationCost
Foreign dividend 0mxl_IncomeTaxReconciliationForeignDividends 835mxl_IncomeTaxReconciliationForeignDividends 0mxl_IncomeTaxReconciliationForeignDividends
Estimated export compliance fines and penalties 0mxl_IncomeTaxExpensePaymentOfInterestAndPenalties 0mxl_IncomeTaxExpensePaymentOfInterestAndPenalties (255)mxl_IncomeTaxExpensePaymentOfInterestAndPenalties
Uncertain tax position 304mxl_IncomeTaxReconciliationUncertainTaxPosition 266mxl_IncomeTaxReconciliationUncertainTaxPosition 199mxl_IncomeTaxReconciliationUncertainTaxPosition
Permanent and other 92us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments 356us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments (45)us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments
Valuation allowance release due to acquisition (2,335)mxl_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetReleaseduetoAcquisitionamount 0mxl_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetReleaseduetoAcquisitionamount 0mxl_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetReleaseduetoAcquisitionamount
Valuation allowance 3,087us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance 6,385us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance 6,214us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationChangeInDeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Total income tax provision (benefit) $ (1,704)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ 402us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit $ 341us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit