Fabrication of optical interconnect structures for a photonic integrated circuit

A method of fabricating an optical connection to at least one planar optical waveguide integrated on a planar integrated circuit (PIC), comprising:

• detecting one or more positions at which one or more optical connections to the at least one planar optical waveguide are to be formed;
• configuring a spatial light modulator (SLM) for use as a programmable photolithographic mask through which the one or more optical connections are able to be directly written in a volume of photosensitive material using a photolithographic process without contacting the photosensitive material, the configuring including programming the SLM to expose the volume of photosensitive material to an illumination pattern that defines the one or more optical connections, the programming being based at least in part on the detected positions;
• and
• printing the one or more optical connections in the volume of photosensitive material by exposing the volume of photosensitive material to illumination that is modulated by the pattern with which the SLM is programmed.