surface wherein the optical fiber and the surface have uninhibited contact and require no additional connection component or coupler device to sustain the optical or mechanical integrity of the bond the bonded optical fiber therefore has a functional junction with the substrate surface that is light may be transferred through the bond and the bond is a direct connection in the sense that no coupling mechanisms are included in the bond in general methods and processes performed according to the invention involve focusing the energy emitted by a laser to melt the end of an optical fiber this forms a region of molten material on the end of the optical fiber the molten region is then extended with some amount of force to bring it into contact with a surface the surface may be for example an optoelectronic or waveguide surface including iii vi semiconductors and silicon fused silica and silicate glasses the surface is also heated although not melted rather either with energy from the laser or with heat transferred through a mounting stage onto which the substrate is mounted the substrate surface temperature is elevated to a point less than but close to its transition or melting point the elevated temperature allows the molten optical fiber to be easily received and bonded thereto without damaging the substrate after the optical fiber has been melted and the substrate surface has been heated the molten region of the optical fiber is extended toward and makes contact with the substrate surface when the molten optical.