Stock-Based Compensation and Employee Benefit Plans - Summary of the Activity under the 2000 Plan (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Options Outstanding, Exercised	(127,041)
Vicor Plan [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Options Outstanding, Beginning balance	1,989,248
Options Outstanding, Granted	343,650
Options Outstanding, Forfeited and expired	(310,182)
Options Outstanding, Exercised	(127,041)
Options Outstanding, Ending balance	1,895,675
Options Outstanding, Exercisable	306,173	54,284	255,694
Options Outstanding, Vested or expected to vest	1,707,311
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Beginning balance	$ 7.71
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Granted	$ 9.24
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Forfeited and expired	$ 7.83
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Exercised	$ 6.20
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Ending balance	$ 8.01
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Exercisable	$ 6.90	$ 9.72	$ 12.79
Weighted Average Exercise Price, Vested or expected to vest	$ 7.97
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life in Years, Outstanding	8 years 4 months 28 days
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life in Years, Exercisable	7 years 10 months 6 days
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life in Years, Vested or expected to vest	8 years 5 months 1 day
Aggregate Intrinsic Value, Outstanding	$ 7,796,000
Aggregate Intrinsic Value, Exercisable	1,642,000
Aggregate Intrinsic Value, Vested or expected to vest	$ 7,167,000

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Amount of difference between fair value of the underlying shares reserved for issuance and exercise price of vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable.

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The number of shares into which fully or partially vested stock options outstanding as of the balance sheet date can be currently converted under the option plan.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-Section 50

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The weighted-average price as of the balance sheet date at which grantees can acquire the shares reserved for issuance on vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable under the stock option plan.

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Weighted average remaining contractual term for vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable or convertible, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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The number of shares under options that were cancelled during the reporting period as a result of occurrence of a terminating event specified in contractual agreements pertaining to the stock option plan.

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Gross number of share options (or share units) granted during the period.

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Amount by which the current fair value of the underlying stock exceeds the exercise price of options outstanding.

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Number of options outstanding, including both vested and non-vested options.

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Weighted average price at which grantees can acquire the shares reserved for issuance under the stock option plan.

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Weighted average remaining contractual term for option awards outstanding, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Amount by which the current fair value of the underlying stock exceeds the exercise price of fully vested and expected to vest options outstanding.

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As of the balance sheet date, the number of shares into which fully vested and expected to vest stock options outstanding can be converted under the option plan.

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As of the balance sheet date, the weighted-average exercise price for outstanding stock options that are fully vested or expected to vest.

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Weighted average remaining contractual term for fully vested and expected to vest options outstanding, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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Weighted average price at which option holders acquired shares when converting their stock options into shares.

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Weighted average price at which grantees could have acquired the underlying shares with respect to stock options that were terminated.

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Weighted average per share amount at which grantees can acquire shares of common stock by exercise of options.

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Number of share options (or share units) exercised during the current period.

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