Waveguides are disclosed (and other devices and materials including but not limited to hybrid organic-inorganic coatings, passivation materials, glob top materials, underfill materials, materials for IC and other applications, microlenses and any of a wide variety of optical devices) that benefit by being formed of a novel hybrid organic-inorganic material. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for making a waveguide includes: forming a lower cladding layer on a substrate; forming a core layer after the lower cladding layer; and forming an upper cladding layer after the core layer; wherein the lower cladding layer, core layer and/or upper cladding layer comprises a hybrid organic-inorganic material—that has many desirable properties relating to stability, hydrophobicity, roughness, optical absorbance, polarization dependent loss, among others.