Bound states in the continuum and strong phase resonances in integrated Gires-Tournois interferometer

Photonic bound states in the continuum (BICs) are eigenmodes with an infinite lifetime, which coexist with a continuous spectrum of radiating waves. BICs are not only of great theoretical interest but also have a wide range of practical applications, e.g. in the design of optical resonators. Here, we study this phenomenon in a new integrated nanophotonic element consisting of a single dielectric ridge terminating an abruptly ended slab waveguide. This structure can be considered as an on-chip analog of the Gires-Tournois interferometer (GTI). We demonstrate that the proposed integrated structure supports high-Q phase resonances and robust BICs. We develop a simple but extremely accurate coupled-wave model that clarifies the physics of BIC formation and enables predicting BIC locations. The developed model shows that the studied BICs are topologically protected and describes the strong phase resonance effect that occurs when two BICs with opposite topological charges annihilate.