Light coupling element and assembly

An optical coupling assembly comprising:

• a unitary light coupling element being a single piece construction and comprising a groove, an input side and a light directing side;
• and
• an optical fiber waveguide comprising an optical cladding surrounding an optical core, the optical fiber disposed in the groove such that an end face of the optical fiber waveguide faces the input side, the input side configured to receive light from the end face, the light redirecting side configured to change a direction of light received from the input side, a first portion of the optical cladding resting on the a bottom surface of the groove, a second portion of the optical cladding comprising the end face of the optical fiber waveguide and defining a gap between the optical cladding and the bottom surface of the groove, wherein the bottom surface of the groove comprises a raised bottom surface portion and an unraised bottom surface portion, the unraised bottom surface portion disposed between a perimeter of the raised bottom surface portion and the input side, and wherein the gap is smaller near the end face of the optical fiber than near the perimeter of the raised bottom surface portion.