A silicon photonic platform comprising: a substrate supporting a buried oxide layer ; an active silicon layer on the buried oxide layer ; and a first waveguide layer separated from the active silicon layer by a first spacer , the first waveguide layer and the active silicon layer constituting a first light-transferring interlayer transition ; wherein the silicon photonic platform further comprises a second waveguide layer separated from the first waveguide layer by a second spacer , the first waveguide layer and the second waveguide layer constituting a second light-transferring interlayer transition wherein the active silicon layer comprises first, second and third silicon waveguides , wherein the first and second silicon waveguides are disposed on opposite sides of the third silicon waveguide ; the first light-transferring interlayer transition comprises first and second waveguide sections in the first waveguide layer , wherein the first waveguide section is optically coupled to the first silicon waveguide through the first spacer , and wherein the second waveguide section is optically coupled to the second silicon waveguide through the first spacer ; the second light-transferring interlayer transition comprises a third waveguide section in the second waveguide layer , wherein the third waveguide section is optically coupled at its opposed ends to the first and second waveguide sections through the second spacer , so as to optically couple the first and second silicon waveguides over and across the third silicon waveguide , characterized in that the first and second waveguide layers are made of a dielectric material having a refractive index within +/-20% of the refractive index of silicon nitride. a substrate supporting a buried oxide layer ; an active silicon layer on the buried oxide layer ; and a first waveguide layer separated from the active silicon layer by a first spacer , the first waveguide layer and the active silicon layer constituting a first light-transferring interlayer transition ; wherein the silicon photonic platform further comprises a second waveguide layer separated from the first waveguide layer by a second spacer , the first waveguide layer and the second waveguide layer constituting a second light-transferring interlayer transition wherein the active silicon layer comprises first, second and third silicon waveguides , wherein the first and second silicon waveguides are disposed on opposite sides of the third silicon waveguide ; the first light-transferring interlayer transition comprises first and second waveguide sections in the first waveguide layer , wherein the first waveguide section is optically coupled to the first silicon waveguide through the first spacer , and wherein the second waveguide section is optically coupled to the second silicon waveguide through the first spacer ; the second light-transferring interlayer transition comprises a third waveguide section in the second waveguide layer , wherein the third waveguide section is optically coupled at its opposed ends to the first and second waveguide sections through the second spacer , so as to optically couple the first and second silicon waveguides over and across the third silicon waveguide , characterized in that the first and second waveguide layers are made of a dielectric material having a refractive index within +/-20% of the refractive index of silicon nitride. <EOS>