Waveguide connector elements and optical assemblies incorporating the same

A waveguide connector element comprising:

• a first end face and a second end face;
• and
• a beam expanding lens at the first end face, wherein the beam expanding lens is a tapered structure that decreases in diameter from the first end face toward the second end face.

An optical assembly comprising:

• an optical printed circuit board comprising an optical layer and a circuit board optical waveguide disposed within the optical layer, the optical printed circuit board comprising an edge, wherein the circuit board optical waveguide terminates at the edge;
• and
• a waveguide connector element comprising an optical waveguide, wherein the waveguide connector element is coupled to the edge of the optical printed circuit board, and the optical waveguide is optically coupled to the circuit board optical waveguide.