A waveguide structure for evanescent wave microscopy and/or spectroscopy, comprising an optically transparent core layer, a lower dielectric cladding layer and an upper dielectric cladding layer arranged on opposite sides of the core layer. The core layer has a refractive index higher than the refractive indices of the cladding layers. The upper cladding layer is made of an organic material. A sample well is arranged on an upper surface of the core layer formed by a cavity in the upper cladding layer, the sample well being adapted to contain a sample medium with one or more sample objects. The core layer is made of a first dielectric inorganic material, and the upper cladding layer has a refractive index which closely matches the refractive index of the sample medium. A method for manufacturing such waveguide structure, and a measurement system comprising the waveguide structure are also disclosed
