2. Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Business Overview	Business Overview Applied Optoelectronics, Inc., or AOI, was originally incorporated in Texas in February of 1997 and then converted to a Delaware corporation in March of 2013. AOI together with its wholly-owned subsidiaries are collectively referred to as the Company. The Company is a leading, vertically integrated provider of fiber-optic networking products, primarily for three networking end-markets: cable television, fiber-to-the-home and internet data centers. The Company designs and manufactures a wide range of optical communications products at varying levels of integration, from components, subassemblies and modules to complete turn-key equipment. The Company has manufacturing and research and development facilities in all three of its locations, located in the U.S., Taiwan and China. At its corporate headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Sugar Land, Texas, the Company primarily manufactures lasers and laser components and performs research and development activities for laser component products. The Company operates a division in Taipei, Taiwan that primarily manufactures transceivers for both the data center and fiber-to-the-home (“FTTH”) markets and performs research and development activities for the transceiver products. The Company operates in Ningbo, China through its wholly-owned subsidiary Prime World International Holdings, Ltd. (incorporated in the British Virgin Islands), the sole parent of Global Technology, Inc. (incorporated in the People’s Republic of China). Through Global Technology, the Company primarily manufactures Cable TV Broadband (“CATV”) systems and equipment and performs research and development activities for the CATV products.
Interim Financial Statements	Interim Financial Statements The condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company, as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 and for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and March 31, 2014, have been prepared in accordance with the instructions on Form 10-Q pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). In accordance with those rules and regulations, the Company has omitted certain information and notes normally provided in the Company’s annual consolidated financial statements. In the opinion of management, the condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments, except as otherwise noted, necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position and results of operations for the periods presented. The year-end condensed balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Annual Report”) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the entire fiscal year. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
Use of Estimates	Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. Actual results could differ from those estimates in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Significant estimates and assumptions that impact these financial statements and the accompanying notes relate to, among other things, allowance for doubtful accounts, valuation allowances for deferred tax assets, inventory reserve, share-based compensation expense, estimated useful lives of property and equipment, and taxes.
Recent accounting pronouncements	Recent accounting pronouncements In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”). The standard provides companies with a single model for use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific revenue guidance. The core principle of the model is to recognize revenue when control of the goods or services transfers to the customer, as opposed to recognizing revenue when the risks and rewards transfer to the customer under the existing revenue guidance. ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Early adoption is not permitted. The guidance permits companies to either apply the requirements retrospectively to all prior periods presented, or apply the requirements in the year of adoption, through a cumulative adjustment. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption on its consolidated financial statements.

2. Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

Business Overview

Applied Optoelectronics, Inc., or AOI, was originally incorporated in Texas in February of 1997 and then converted to a Delaware corporation in March of 2013. AOI together with its wholly-owned subsidiaries are collectively referred to as the Company. The Company is a leading, vertically integrated provider of fiber-optic networking products, primarily for three networking end-markets: cable television, fiber-to-the-home and internet data centers. The Company designs and manufactures a wide range of optical communications products at varying levels of integration, from components, subassemblies and modules to complete turn-key equipment.

The Company has manufacturing and research and development facilities in all three of its locations, located in the U.S., Taiwan and China. At its corporate headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Sugar Land, Texas, the Company primarily manufactures lasers and laser components and performs research and development activities for laser component products. The Company operates a division in Taipei, Taiwan that primarily manufactures transceivers for both the data center and fiber-to-the-home (“FTTH”) markets and performs research and development activities for the transceiver products. The Company operates in Ningbo, China through its wholly-owned subsidiary Prime World International Holdings, Ltd. (incorporated in the British Virgin Islands), the sole parent of Global Technology, Inc. (incorporated in the People’s Republic of China). Through Global Technology, the Company primarily manufactures Cable TV Broadband (“CATV”) systems and equipment and performs research and development activities for the CATV products.

Interim Financial Statements

Interim Financial Statements

The condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company, as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014 and for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and March 31, 2014, have been prepared in accordance with the instructions on Form 10-Q pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). In accordance with those rules and regulations, the Company has omitted certain information and notes normally provided in the Company’s annual consolidated financial statements. In the opinion of management, the condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments, except as otherwise noted, necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position and results of operations for the periods presented. The year-end condensed balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Annual Report”) for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the entire fiscal year. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. Actual results could differ from those estimates in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Significant estimates and assumptions that impact these financial statements and the accompanying notes relate to, among other things, allowance for doubtful accounts, valuation allowances for deferred tax assets, inventory reserve, share-based compensation expense, estimated useful lives of property and equipment, and taxes.

Recent accounting pronouncements

Recent accounting pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”). The standard provides companies with a single model for use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific revenue guidance. The core principle of the model is to recognize revenue when control of the goods or services transfers to the customer, as opposed to recognizing revenue when the risks and rewards transfer to the customer under the existing revenue guidance. ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Early adoption is not permitted. The guidance permits companies to either apply the requirements retrospectively to all prior periods presented, or apply the requirements in the year of adoption, through a cumulative adjustment. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption on its consolidated financial statements.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the organization, consolidation and basis of presentation of financial statements disclosure, and significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. May be provided in more than one note to the financial statements, as long as users are provided with an understanding of (1) the significant judgments and assumptions made by an enterprise in determining whether it must consolidate a VIE and/or disclose information about its involvement with a VIE, (2) the nature of restrictions on a consolidated VIE's assets reported by an enterprise in its statement of financial position, including the carrying amounts of such assets, (3) the nature of, and changes in, the risks associated with an enterprise's involvement with the VIE, and (4) how an enterprise's involvement with the VIE affects the enterprise's financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. Describes procedure if disclosures are provided in more than one note to the financial statements.

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