An optical circuit , comprising: a substrate having a substrate front surface , the substrate defining a cavity that extends into the substrate front surface , the cavity having at least one sidewall , the sidewall including a substrate optical port , the substrate including an optical path that extends through the substrate from a connector optical port to the substrate optical port ; and a photonic integrated circuit PIC , attachable to the substrate , the PIC having a PIC front surface that includes a plurality of electrical connections , the PIC having a PIC back surface , the PIC having a PIC edge surface that extends around at least a portion of a perimeter of the PIC between the PIC front surface and the PIC back surface , the PIC having a PIC optical port disposed on the PIC edge surface and configured to accept or emit an optical beam along a PIC optical axis, the PIC optical axis being aligned with the substrate optical port when the PIC is attached to the substrate , characterized in that the substrate includes a lens integral with the substrate , the lens configured to collimate a beam emitted from the PIC along the PIC optical axis when the PIC is attached to the substrate or focus a beam directed toward the PIC along the PIC optical axis when the PIC is attached to the substrate . a substrate having a substrate front surface , the substrate defining a cavity that extends into the substrate front surface , the cavity having at least one sidewall , the sidewall including a substrate optical port , the substrate including an optical path that extends through the substrate from a connector optical port to the substrate optical port ; and the substrate defining a cavity that extends into the substrate front surface , the cavity having at least one sidewall , the sidewall including a substrate optical port , the substrate including an optical path that extends through the substrate from a connector optical port to the substrate optical port ; and a photonic integrated circuit PIC , attachable to the substrate , the PIC having a PIC front surface that includes a plurality of electrical connections , the PIC having a PIC back surface , the PIC having a PIC edge surface that extends around at least a portion of a perimeter of the PIC between the PIC front surface and the PIC back surface , the PIC having a PIC optical port disposed on the PIC edge surface and configured to accept or emit an optical beam along a PIC optical axis, the PIC optical axis being aligned with the substrate optical port when the PIC is attached to the substrate , characterized in that the substrate includes a lens integral with the substrate , the lens configured to collimate a beam emitted from the PIC along the PIC optical axis when the PIC is attached to the substrate or focus a beam directed toward the PIC along the PIC optical axis when the PIC is attached to the substrate . the PIC having a PIC front surface that includes a plurality of electrical connections , the PIC having a PIC back surface , the PIC having a PIC edge surface that extends around at least a portion of a perimeter of the PIC between the PIC front surface and the PIC back surface , the PIC having a PIC optical port disposed on the PIC edge surface and configured to accept or emit an optical beam along a PIC optical axis, the PIC optical axis being aligned with the substrate optical port when the PIC is attached to the substrate , characterized in that the substrate includes a lens integral with the substrate , the lens configured to collimate a beam emitted from the PIC along the PIC optical axis when the PIC is attached to the substrate or focus a beam directed toward the PIC along the PIC optical axis when the PIC is attached to the substrate . <EOS>