Abstract: A hybrid optical component is described incorporating a planar lightguide circuit (PLC) chip 2 having at least two waveguides provided thereon which are separated by a trench, and a MEMS chip 3 attached to the PLC chip and incorporating a MEMS element displaceable relative to the trench so as to control the passage of an optical signal between the two waveguides. A cap 4 is sealingly engaged with the PLC chip 2 to form a housing therewith which houses said MEMS chip 3 hermetically therein. The component may act as a variable optical attenuator (VOA) device in which a MEMS shutter attenuates an optical signal passing between two waveguides, or may be an optical switch in which a MEMS mirror is used to switch an optical signal from a first waveguide between at least two other waveguides which intersect with the first waveguide at the trench.