Abstract: There can be a problem of output intensity node or nodes as a function of angle, for waveguide-based optical modulators, such as leaky-mode surface acoustic wave modulators. Several approaches are illustrated that can be used to provide more uniform output light across a range of angles, i.e., that is avoid dark “drop-outs.” It can also be used to increase the output angle range or exit light fan. This is achieved by leveraging the different diffraction characteristics between different guided modes. It exploits the observation that utilizing different waveguide guided modes, e.g. TE0 like versus TE1-like, causes a SAW optical modulator to operate with different relationships between output angle and output intensity. It turns out that they can be at least complementary, that is: one waveguide mode can fill in the dark gaps of another wave guide mode.