US Patent 7450625 Optical element and method for manufacturing the same

An optical element includes a columnar section having an upper surface from which light is emitted or upon which light is incident, and an electrode composed of a plurality of layers including at least a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer laminated above the first conductive layer and electrically connected to the upper surface of the columnar section, wherein the first conductive layer has a first opening section that opens outwardly from a center section of the upper surface of the columnar section and surrounds the center section, and the second conductive layer has a second opening section that opens outwardly from the center section of the upper surface of the columnar section, surrounds the center section, and overlaps the first conductive layer above the columnar section by more than a half of a plane area of the first conductive layer.