Optical assembly for interfacing waveguide arrays, and associated methods

A method for fabricating an optical assembly, the method comprising:

• providing a first planar lightwave circuit (PLC) member including a first body structure bounded by a first inner face, a first outer face that opposes the first inner face, a first input end face, and a first output end face that opposes the first input end face, with a plurality of first waveguides defined in or on the first body structure, wherein the plurality of first waveguides extends between the first input end face and the first output end face in a first plane that is parallel to at least a portion of the first inner face, and wherein first peripheral alignment grooves are defined in the first inner face;
• providing a second PLC member including a second body structure bounded by a second inner face, a second outer face that opposes the second inner face, a second input end face, and a second output end face that opposes the second input end face, with a plurality of second waveguides defined in or on the second body structure, wherein the plurality of second waveguides extends between the second input end face and the second output end face in a second plane that is parallel to at least a portion of the second inner face, and wherein second peripheral alignment grooves are defined in the second inner face;
• positioning the first and second PLC members with the first inner face of the first PLC member facing the second inner face of the second PLC member, with input end tubular alignment members arranged between pairs of the first and second alignment grooves proximate to the first input end face and the second input end face, and with output end tubular alignment members arranged between pairs of the first and second peripheral alignment grooves proximate to the first output end face and the second output end face;
• and
• securing the first and second PLC members around the input end tubular alignment members and the output end alignment members to cause:
• (i) the second plane to be non-parallel to the first plane, (ii) the first input end face and the second input end face to be positioned such that input ends of the plurality of first waveguides in combination with input ends of the plurality of second waveguides being arranged a two-dimensional array, and (iii) the first output end face and the second output end face to be positioned such that output ends of the plurality of first waveguides in combination with output ends of the plurality of second waveguides being arranged a one-dimensional array.