An optical device comprises a light input, a light modulating means and a light output. The optical device further comprises an optical amplification device arranged to amplify light travelling between said light modulating means and said output. The optical amplification device comprises first and second serially connected post SOA (Semiconductor Optical Amplifier) units, each comprising at least one respective serially connected post SOA segment, which device is arranged to vary a light amplification by varying respective SOA bias voltages across said post SOA segments. A total SOA length of the first post SOA unit is relatively longer than a total SOA length of the second post SOA unit, which is relatively shorter. The optical device is arranged to, during operation using a particular operation program, always keep respective SOA bias voltages across each of the post SOA segments of the first post SOA unit at +0.5 V or more.