An optical waveguide has a substrate with a surface of organic material, an inorganic material waveguide layer along the surface of organic material with a waveguide layer surface pointing toward the surface of organic material and an organic/inorganic material interface between the surface of organic material and the waveguide layer surface. The organic/inorganic interface is remote from the waveguide layer surface and is formed by the surface of organic material and a surface of an intermediate spacer system of inorganic material. The spacer system substantially preventing the material interface from being subjected to light energy of light guided in the waveguide layer.