Fabricating an optical assembly

A system for fabricating an optical assembly comprising:

• a horizontally movable stage of a flip-chip bonder including having an opening;
• a substrate including at least one flexible portion and further including a waveguide, the waveguide exposed at one end edge of the substrate positioned upon the stage with the end edge over the opening;
• a vertically upwardly movable clamp sized to penetrate the stage opening and positioned underneath the stage;
• a vertically downwardly movable bond head above the stage opening;
• an optical component positioned in the bond head;
• a glue dispenser positioned to provide a glue to either a mating surface of the substrate exposed end edge or a mating surface of the optical component;
• and
• a controller connected to the stage, the clamp, the bond head and the glue dispenser including a control circuit for positioning the substrate waveguide exposed end edge underneath the optical component while dispensing glue for fixably bonding the mating surfaces of the optical component and the substrate exposed end edge.