An optical device comprises a cantilevered fiber array coupled to a planar lightwave circuit. The cantilevered fiber array comprises a base supporting at least a portion of at least one optical fiber in a fiber guiding channel and a cover bonded to the base and/or the at least one optical fiber, where a terminal end of the at least one optical fiber extends beyond an end of at least one of the base and cover. The planar lightwave circuit comprises a planar waveguide formed on a substrate, the planar waveguide including a waveguide core. The terminal end of the fiber of the cantilevered fiber array is disposed in an alignment groove formed in a portion of the planar lightwave circuit substrate. A transverse channel is formed in the planar lightwave circuit substrate at an optical interface of the waveguide core and the terminal end of the at least one optical fiber.