Represents the expense recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5047-113901

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 14.F)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27013229&loc=d3e301413-122809

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 14

-Section F

Stock-Based Compensation and Employee Benefit Plans - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		0 Months Ended
	Jun. 17, 2013 Participant	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 21, 2013	May 14, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Nov. 11, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Term of Option		10 years
Eligible participants	638
Options to purchase shares of Common Stock		1,531,077
Percentage of common stock	91.00%
Replacement option vesting period		5 years
Replacement option expiration period		10 years
Incremental expenses		$ 365,000
Total unrecognized compensation cost		318,000					318,000
Stock-based compensation expense		1,634,000	2,450,000	1,244,000
Employee's compensation plan		The Company matches employee contributions to the plan at a rate of 50% up to the first 3% of an employee's compensation
Employee contributions		20.00%
Company contribution to the plan		877,000	825,000	813,000
Performance Based Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Non-qualified stock options		58,250					58,250
Time-Based eligible Option exercise price		$ 6.29					$ 6.29
Total unrecognized compensation cost		940,000					940,000
Stock-based compensation expense		2,300,000
Time Based Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Time-Based eligible Option exercise price		$ 6.29					$ 6.29
Tranche One [Member] \| Performance Based Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Non-qualified stock options granted to non-employees		120.00%
Common stock sales price		$ 6.29
Tranche One [Member] \| Time Based Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Non-qualified stock options granted to non-employees		120.00%
Tranche Two [Member] \| Performance Based Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Non-qualified stock options granted to non-employees		140.00%
Common stock sales price		$ 7.34
Tranche Three [Member] \| Performance Based Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Non-qualified stock options granted to non-employees		160.00%
Common stock sales price		$ 8.38
Tranche Four [Member] \| Performance Based Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Non-qualified stock options granted to non-employees		180.00%
Common stock sales price		$ 9.43
Tranche Five [Member] \| Performance Based Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Non-qualified stock options granted to non-employees		200.00%
Common stock sales price		$ 10.48
Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Employees pre-tax salary		1.00%
Maximum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Employees pre-tax salary		80.00%
Two Thousand Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock reserved for issuance		4,000,000					4,000,000
Non-qualified stock options										1,243,750
Common stock options awarded					70,552	150,000	150,355
Incremental expenses								208,000
Total unrecognized compensation cost		365,000					365,000
Immediate expense recognition								190,000
Exercise price of options awarded					$ 5.67	$ 5.35
Stock options, cancelled in period							129,028
Two Thousand Plan [Member] \| Employees and Directors [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Incremental expenses								625,000
Age of employees		62 years 6 months
Immediate expense recognition								450,000
Vicor Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Non-qualified stock options granted to non-employees		85.00%
Non-qualified stock options		1,895,675	1,989,248				1,895,675
Common stock options awarded		343,650
Common stock sales price		$ 9.24
Total unrecognized compensation cost		1,369,000					1,369,000
Stock options, cancelled in period		310,182
Vicor options actually vest		78.00%
Annual forfeiture rate		8.00%	8.00%
Vicor options actually vest forfeiture			78.00%
Share exercisable		306,173	54,284	255,694			306,173
Weighted average exercise prices		$ 6.90	$ 9.72	$ 12.79			$ 6.90
Total Intrinsic value		751,000	15,000	2,000
Options Exercised		788,000	13,000	4,000
Fair value of stock options that vested		1,096,000	489,000	449,000
Compensation cost recognized over a weighted-average period		2 years 1 month 28 days
Expected recognized expenses, Year One		705,000					705,000
Expected recognized expenses, Year Two		399,000					399,000
Expected recognized expenses, Year Three		195,000					195,000
Expected recognized expenses, Year Four		62,000					62,000
Expected recognized expenses, Year Five		8,000					8,000
Weighted-average fair value		$ 5.50	$ 1.90	$ 2.47
2001 Picor Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock reserved for issuance		20,000,000					20,000,000
Non-qualified stock options		0					0
Common stock options awarded									0
2007 VI Chip Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock reserved for issuance		12,000,000					12,000,000
Non-qualified stock options		0					0				2,984,250
Common stock options awarded									0
Total unrecognized compensation cost		621,000					621,000
Picor Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Non-qualified stock options		9,870,067	9,404,367				9,870,067
Common stock options awarded		1,150,400
Common stock sales price		$ 0.41
Total unrecognized compensation cost		631,000					631,000
Stock options, cancelled in period		684,700
Maturity period of US Treasury Bond		7 years
Annual forfeiture rate		2.75%	2.75%
Picor options actually vest forfeiture		92.00%
Picor options actually vest			92.00%
Share exercisable		6,643,377	5,869,044	5,329,950			6,643,377
Weighted average exercise prices		$ 0.67	$ 0.69	$ 0.69			$ 0.67
Total Intrinsic value		0	146,000	279,000
Options Exercised			14,000	172,000
Fair value of stock options that vested		0	398,000	61,000
Compensation cost recognized over a weighted-average period		2 years 8 months 12 days
Expected recognized expenses, Year One		358,000					358,000
Expected recognized expenses, Year Two		140,000					140,000
Expected recognized expenses, Year Three		78,000					78,000
Expected recognized expenses, Year Four		43,000					43,000
Expected recognized expenses, Year Five		12,000					12,000
Weighted-average fair value		$ 0.19	$ 0.31	$ 0.32
Vi Chip Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Non-qualified stock options		10,715,000	10,744,250				10,715,000
Common stock options awarded		117,500
Common stock sales price		$ 1.00
Total unrecognized compensation cost		820,000					820,000
Stock options, cancelled in period		146,750
Maturity period of US Treasury Bond		7 years
Annual forfeiture rate		7.75%	7.00%
Chip options actually vest			80.00%
Chip options actually vest forfeiture		77.00%
Share exercisable		7,377,950	7,267,600	7,304,100			7,377,950
Weighted average exercise prices		$ 1.00	$ 1.00	$ 1.00			$ 1.00
Options Exercised		0	0	6,000
Compensation cost recognized over a weighted-average period		1 year 4 months 24 days
Expected recognized expenses, Year One		233,000					233,000
Expected recognized expenses, Year Two		192,000					192,000
Expected recognized expenses, Year Three		177,000					177,000
Expected recognized expenses, Year Four		149,000					149,000
Expected recognized expenses, Year Five		$ 69,000					$ 69,000
Weighted-average fair value		$ 0.02	$ 0.29	$ 0.46
Stock Bonus Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Common stock purchase by non-employees		109,964					109,964