Photonic Theta Cavity: Engineering Bound States in the Continuum in Topological Resonators beyond the Limitations of Near-Field Coupling

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide The theta cavity is a unique topological resonator architecture that utilizes interferometric coupling to overcome fundamental design limitations associated with near-field evanescent coupling, which currently dominates the design space for integrated photonics. The defining device physics is established by the mirror-symmetric cross junctions, which preserves efficient power transfer between a waveguide and a ring resonator, creating a strongly correlated phase relationship between the multiple paths. The unique mode selection physics allows for interference-driven suppression of radiative pathways, enabling strong cavity confinement and the emergence of bound states in the continuum (BICs). Analytical models reveal non-Hermitian optical band structure displaying nontrivial topological transitions between BIC and quasi-BIC modes that are robust to attenuation, temperature variations, and typical fabrication nonidealities, which is critical for overcoming intrinsic limitations associated with silicon-based integrated photonics. The theta cavity architecture also circumvents limitations that arise from proximity requirements of the physical “gap” used in near-field coupled waveguides, which enables a flexible design space for new devices. In this study, we demonstrate phase-mediated long-range strong coupling of multiple ring resonators in the Nested theta cavity architecture, showcasing band structure hybridization resulting in the formation of anticrossing bandgaps, Dirac crossings, and Fano resonances. The photonic theta cavity architecture provides a scalable, topologically robust platform for engineering modes across a multidimensional parameter space with high resilience to perturbation and attenuation, enabling a new approach for the designing of integrated cavity devices.