Note 15 - Share-based Compensation (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Option, Cost Not yet Recognized, Amount	$ 0
Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Expense	$ 2,472	$ 2,519
Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Option [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period (Year)	4 years
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Expiration Period (Year)	10 years
Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Option [Member] \| Exercisable on the First Anniversary Date Following the Date of Grant [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Rights, Percentage	25.00%
Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Option [Member] \| Exercisable on Semi-annual Basis [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Rights, Percentage	12.50%
Performance Shares [Member]
Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Expense	$ 300
Performance Shares [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardPerformanceAwardValuePercentageOfBasedAmount	0.00%
Performance Shares [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardPerformanceAwardValuePercentageOfBasedAmount	200.00%
Performance Shares [Member] \| Vesting on the Third Anniversary [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Rights, Percentage	100.00%
Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Units [Member]
Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Cost Not yet Recognized, Amount, Total	$ 17,900
Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition (Year)	2 years 3 months 18 days

Represents Share-based Payment Award Performance Award Value Percentage Of Based Amount.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	aaoi_
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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of expense for award under share-based payment arrangement. Excludes amount capitalized.

+ 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 (h)(1)(i)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128089324&loc=d3e5070-113901

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- Definition

Amount of cost not yet recognized for nonvested award under share-based payment arrangement.

+ 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 (i)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128089324&loc=d3e5070-113901

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- Definition

Weighted-average period over which cost not yet recognized is expected to be recognized for award under share-based payment arrangement, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ 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 (i)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128089324&loc=d3e5070-113901

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- Definition

Amount of cost to be recognized for option under share-based payment arrangement.

+ 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 (i)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128089324&loc=d3e5070-113901

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- Definition

Period over which grantee's right to exercise award under share-based payment arrangement is no longer contingent on satisfaction of service or performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Includes, but is not limited to, combination of market, performance or service condition.

+ References

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

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- Definition

Percentage of vesting of award under share-based payment arrangement.

+ 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 (a)(1)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=128089324&loc=d3e5070-113901

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- Definition

Period from grant date that an equity-based award expires, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

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

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