Optical couplers with trenched waveguides

Abstract

Described herein are systems and techniques for providing photonic devices having efficient optical coupling between waveguides. The photonic devices comprise a glass substrate having glass waveguides and a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) having PIC waveguides evanescently coupled with the glass waveguides. The waveguides may have recesses disposed between adjacent waveguides to allow for excess adhesive to be squeezed out. The PIC may have a trench exposing the waveguide layer of the PIC, thus reducing the gap between the PIC waveguides and the glass waveguides when coupled.

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