Method for manufacturing a photonic chip

A method for manufacturing a photonic chip, comprising:

• providing a first stack successively comprising a support, a buried layer of silicon oxide and a layer of semiconductor material;
• then structuring the layer of semiconductor material in order to produce at least a first part of an optical component in the layer of semiconductor material;
• then encapsulating the structured layer of semiconductor material in a dielectric encapsulation material in order to obtain a layer of semiconductor material encapsulated in a dielectric material;
• then
• bonding a substrate to the layer of encapsulated semiconductor material;
• then
• removing the support in order to expose the buried layer;
• then
• thinning the buried layer in order to leave a residual silicon oxide layer on the layer of encapsulated semiconductor material on a side where the support was removed;
• then
• producing a second part of an optical component on the residual silicon oxide layer, the second part of an optical component being coupled to the first part of the optical component through the residual silicon oxide layer by optical or capacitive coupling;
• wherein:
• before bonding the substrate, the method comprises producing indented pads inside the buried layer, with each of the pads comprising an embedded face that extends parallel to an interface between the buried layer and the layer of semiconductor material to a predetermined depth inside the buried layer, with each of the embedded faces being made of a material different from the silicon oxide of the buried layer;
• and
• thinning the buried layer comprises an operation involving stopping as soon as the embedded face of the pads is exposed.