Optical assembly and method for coupling a waveguide array to a photonic-integrated circuit

A method for optically coupling a waveguide array to a PIC mounted on a substrate, the method using a first structure and a second structure, the PIC having a plurality of optical ports, the first structure having a bottom surface and a first planar surface, the second structure having a second planar surface and a support surface, the waveguide array having a plurality of waveguides each defining an optical path, with at least two of the optical paths lying in a waveguide plane, the waveguide array having a support surface, the method comprising the steps of:

• connecting the bottom surface of the first structure to the substrate;
• connecting the support surface of the second structure to the support surface of the waveguide array;
• using a manipulator, engaging the first planar surface of the first structure with the second planar surface of the second structure with a curable adhesive inserted therebetween, the waveguide plane being perpendicular to the first and second planar surfaces, and adjusting a position and an orientation of the first and second structures to optically couple the at least two of the optical paths with corresponding ones of the plurality of optical ports of the PIC;
• and
• curing the curable adhesive to permanently fix the position and the orientation of the first and second structures.