Photonics fabrication process performance improvement

1. A method for fabricating a photonic integrated circuit, comprising:

forming a plurality of waveguide structures in at least one silicon layer of a first member, the first member including:

a first surface of a first silicon dioxide layer that is attached to a second member that includes a silicon layer at least 100 microns thick; and

a second surface of material that was deposited over at least some of the plurality of waveguide structures;

bonding a third member consisting essentially of an optically transmissive material having a thermal conductivity less than about 50 W/(m·K) to the second surface;

removing most or all of the silicon layer of the second member; and

forming an array of temperature controlling elements in proximity to an array of phase shifters formed in one or more layers of the first member.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material that was deposited over at least some of the plurality of waveguide structures consists essentially of silicon dioxide.

3. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a plurality of waveguide structures formed in at least one silicon layer of a first member, the first member including:

a first surface of a first silicon dioxide layer that is attached to a second member that consists essentially of an optically transmissive material having a thermal conductivity less than about 50 W/(m·K); and

a second surface of material that was deposited over at least some of the plurality of waveguide structures;

an array of phase shifters formed in one or more layers of the first member; and

an array of temperature controlling elements in proximity to the array of phase shifters;

wherein the array of phase shifters is configured to emit a beam formed by interference of optical waves emitted from the phase shifters through an aperture that provides a transmissive pathway that does not include obstructive material within a distance of twice a beam radius from a propagation axis of the beam.

4. The article of manufacture of claim 3 , wherein most of the transmissive pathway is through the second member.

5. The article of manufacture of claim 3 , wherein the first member comprises a wafer, and the second member comprises a wafer.

6. A photonic integrated circuit, comprising:

a plurality of waveguide structures formed in at least one silicon layer of a first member that includes:

a first surface of a first silicon dioxide layer that is attached to a portion of a second member that consists essentially of an optically transmissive material having a thermal conductivity less than about 50 W/(m·K); and

a second surface of material that was deposited over at least some of the plurality of waveguide structures;

a laser module at least partially embedded within a portion of the first member;

a heat sink thermally coupled to the laser module;

an array of phase shifters formed in one or more layers of the first member; and

an array of heater elements in proximity to the array of phase shifters;

wherein the array of phase shifters is configured to emit a beam formed by interference of optical waves emitted from the phase shifters through at least a portion of the second member.

7. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 6 , wherein the heater elements are configured to reduce a thermal gradient in proximity to the phase shifters.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third member comprises one or more of silicon dioxide, plastic, quartz, or sapphire.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bonding comprises direct bonding without any intermediate layer of material between a surface of the third member and the second surface of the first member.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein removing most or all of the silicon layer of the second member comprises removing all of the silicon layer of the second member.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 3 , wherein the second member comprises one or more of silicon dioxide, plastic, quartz, or sapphire.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 3 , wherein an index of refraction of the optically transmissive material has a low index contrast with the first silicon dioxide layer through which the beam is emitted.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 3 , wherein the transmissive pathway does not include metal within a distance of twice a beam radius from a propagation axis of the beam.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 5 , wherein the wafer of the first member and the wafer of the second member are direct bonded to each other without any intermediate layer of material between the first surface of the first silicon dioxide layer and a surface of the second member.

15. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 6 , wherein the second member comprises one or more of silicon dioxide, plastic, quartz, or sapphire.

16. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 6 , wherein an index of refraction of the optically transmissive material has a low index contrast with the first silicon dioxide layer through which the beam is emitted.

17. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 6 , further comprising a flip chip connected die connected to conductive contacts of the photonic integrated circuit.

18. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 17 , wherein the heat sink is thermally coupled to the flip chip connected die.

19. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 6 , further comprising a package in which the photonic integrated circuit is secured and that includes an opening through which the beam is emitted.

20. The photonic integrated circuit of claim 6 , wherein the heater elements are formed in at least one layer of the first member, and the heater elements are configured to provide a thermal profile across the array of phase shifters to at least partially cancel out effects of thermal crosstalk among phase shifters of the array of phase shifters.