Methods and systems for grating couplers (117A-117H) incorporating perturbed waveguides are disclosed and may include in a semiconductor photonics die (130), communicating optical signals into and/or out of the die utilizing a grating coupler (117A-117H) on the die, where the grating coupler comprises perturbed waveguides. The perturbed waveguides may comprise a variable width along their length. The grating coupler may comprise a single polarization grating coupler comprising perturbed waveguides and a non-perturbed grating. The grating coupler may comprise a polarization splitting grating coupler (PSGC) (403)that includes two sets of perturbed waveguides at a non-zero angle, or a plurality of non-linear rows of discrete shapes. The PSGC may comprise discrete scatterers (805) at an intersection of the sets of perturbed waveguides. The grating couplers may be etched in a silicon layer on the semiconductor photonics die or deposited on the semiconductor photonics die. The grating coupler may comprise individual scatterers (805) between the perturbed waveguides.