Patent ID: 7509011

Claim:
A waveguide system comprising: a bottom cladding layer; a plurality of core channels suitable for optical transmission extending along the a top surface of the bottom cladding layer, wherein at least some of the core channels have a curved section formed so that a bottom surface of the core channel lies on the top surface of the bottom cladding layer; a patterned top cladding layer formed on top of both the bottom cladding layer and the core channels such that the core channels are sandwiched between the bottom and the top cladding layer and wherein the patterned top cladding layer has at least one opening that exposes the curved section of the core channel to the ambient air enabling a radius of the curved section to be smaller than when the top cladding layer covers the curved section; and a plurality of optical lenses formed on the bottom cladding layer and positioned in the optical path of the ends of the plurality of the core channels respectively, wherein the patterned top cladding layer is patterned so that a substantial portion of each of the plurality of optical lenses are exposed to ambient air respectively.