Methods for laser bonding optical elements to substrates and optical assemblies fabricated by the same

A method of bonding an optical fiber to a substrate, the method comprising:

• disposing at least one optical fiber onto a surface of the substrate;
• applying a cover substrate comprising at least one groove to the substrate such that the at least one optical fiber is disposed within the at least one groove;
• electrostatically affixing the at least one optical fiber to the surface of the substrate by applying a voltage between the cover substrate and the substrate;
• and
• directing an astigmatically shaped laser beam into the optical element, wherein:
• the laser beam heats an interface between at least one optical element and the substrate to a temperature that is higher than a lowest temperature of an optical element change temperature, which is a melting point of the material of the optical element when it is fabricated from a crystalline material and a softening point of the material of the optical element when it is fabricated from an amorphous material, and a substrate change temperature, which is a melting point of the substrate material when it is fabricated from a crystalline material and a softening point of the substrate material when it is fabricated from an amorphous material, thereby forming a bond between at least one optical element and the substrate at a bond area, and
• the laser beam has a fluence that does not modify the substrate at regions of the substrate that are outside of a contact area of the substrate, the contact area of the substrate being in direct contact with the at least one optical element.