Optical devices, components and methods for mounting optical fibers and for side-coupling light to/from optical fibers using a modified silicon V-groove, or silicon V-groove array, wherein V-grooves, which are designed for precisely aligning/spacing optical fibers, are “recessed” below the surface of the silicon. Optical fibers can be recessed below the surface of the silicon substrate such that a precisely controlled portion of the cladding layer extending above the silicon surface can be removed (lapped). With the cladding layer removed, the separation between the fiber core(s) and optoelectronic device(s) can be reduced resulting in improved optical coupling when the optical fiber silicon array is connected to, e.g., a VCSEL array.