Stockholders' Equity (Summary of Stock Option Activity) (Details) - $ / shares shares in Thousands	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Time-based stock option [Member]
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Number of shares, Outstanding, Beginning	12,159
Number of shares, Granted	5,211
Number of shares, Exercised	(650)
Number of shares, Canceled	(1,485)
Number of shares, Outstanding, Ending	15,235	12,159
Weighted average exercise price, Outstanding, Beginning	$ 11.38
Weighted average exercise price, Granted	10.34
Weighted average exercise price, Exercised	3.33
Weighted average exercise price, Canceled	20.96
Weighted average exercise price, Outstanding, Ending	$ 10.43	$ 11.38
Performance-based stock options [Member]
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Number of shares, Outstanding, Beginning	304
Number of shares, Canceled	(2)
Number of shares, Outstanding, Ending	302	304
Weighted average exercise price, Outstanding, Beginning	$ 4.71
Weighted average exercise price, Canceled	4.75
Weighted average exercise price, Outstanding, Ending	4.71	$ 4.71
$1.16 – 46.37 [Member] \| Time-based stock option [Member]
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Exercise price, lower range		1.16
Exercise price, upper range		46.37
$4.61 – 16.58 [Member] \| Time-based stock option [Member]
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Exercise price, lower range	4.61
Exercise price, upper range	16.58
$4.71 - $4.90 [Member] \| Performance-based stock options [Member]
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Exercise price, lower range	4.71	4.71
Exercise price, upper range	4.90	$ 4.90
Exercise price, lower range, Canceled	4.71
Exercise price, upper range, Canceled	4.90
$1.16 - 8.90 [Member] \| Time-based stock option [Member]
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Exercise price, lower range	1.16
Exercise price, upper range	8.90
$2.47 – 46.37 [Member] \| Time-based stock option [Member]
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Exercise price, lower range	2.47
Exercise price, upper range	46.37
$1.16 – 46.37 [Member] \| Time-based stock option [Member]
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Exercise price, lower range	1.16
Exercise price, upper range	$ 46.37

Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Canceled, Lower Range Limit

No definition available.

Name:	pacb_ShareBasedPaymentArrangementOptionExercisePriceRangeCanceledLowerRangeLimit
Namespace Prefix:	pacb_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Option, Exercise Price Range, Canceled, Upper Range Limit

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pacb_ShareBasedPaymentArrangementOptionExercisePriceRangeCanceledUpperRangeLimit
Namespace Prefix:	pacb_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(iv)(01)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128089324&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingWeightedAverageExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisesInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsForfeituresInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementsByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The floor of a customized range of exercise prices for purposes of disclosing shares potentially issuable under outstanding stock option awards on all stock option plans and other required information pertaining to awards in the customized range.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128089324&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The ceiling of a customized range of exercise prices for purposes of disclosing shares potentially issuable under outstanding stock option awards on all stock option plans and other required information pertaining to awards in the customized range.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeUpperRangeLimit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(iv)(02)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128089324&loc=d3e5070-113901

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120397183&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126973232&loc=d3e21463-112644

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesStockOptionsExercised
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=pacb_TimeBasedStockOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=pacb_ExercisePriceRangeOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=pacb_ExercisePriceRangeTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=pacb_ExercisePriceRangeAcqusitionTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=pacb_ExercisePriceRangeThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=pacb_ExercisePriceRangeFourMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=pacb_ExercisePriceRangeFiveMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: