An optical device comprises a first substrate wafer with at least one
buried optical waveguide on an approximately flat planar surface of the
substrate and a second substrate wafer with at least a second buried
optical waveguide. The waveguides so formed may be straight or curved
along the surface of the wafer or curved by burying the waveguide at
varying depth along its length. The second wafer is turned (flipped) and
bonded to the first wafer in such a manner that the waveguides, for
example, may form an optical coupler or may cross over one another and be
in proximate relationship along a region of each. As a result,
three-dimensional optical devices are formed avoiding the convention
techniques of layering on a single substrate wafer.