Note 15 - Share-based Compensation (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022
Share-based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Option, Cost Not yet Recognized, Amount	$ 0
Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Expense	$ 2,290	$ 2,472
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, Nonvested Award, Option, Cost Not yet Recognized, Amount	$ 2,400
Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Expense	$ 400	$ 300
Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition (Year)	1 year 4 months 24 days
Performance Shares [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Performance Award Value Percentage Of Based Amount	0.00%
Performance Shares [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Sharebased Compensation Arrangement By Sharebased Payment Award Performance Award Value Percentage Of Based Amount	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 Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition (Year)	1 year 10 months 24 days
Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Excluding Option, Cost Not yet Recognized, Amount	$ 9,100

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

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	aaoi_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
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
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 14.F)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479830/718-10-S99-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- 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
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (i)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cost to be recognized for nonvested award under share-based payment arrangement. Excludes share and unit options.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (i)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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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
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

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Balance Type:	na
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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
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

+ Details

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Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- 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
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

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