By determining an alignment point for a photonic element in a substrate of a given material; applying, via a laser aligned with the photonic element according to the alignment point, an etching pattern to the photonic element to produce a patterned region and an un-patterned region in the photonic element, wherein applying the etching pattern alters a chemical bond in the given material for the patterned region of the photonic element that increases a reactivity of the given material to an etchant relative to a reactivity of the un-patterned region, and wherein the patterned region defines an engagement feature in the un-patterned region that is configured to engage with a mating feature on a Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC); and removing the patterned region from the photonic element via the etchant, various systems and methods may make use of laser patterning in optical components to enable alignment of optics to chips.