Patent ID: 7450625

Claim:
An optical element comprising: a columnar section rising in a vertical direction and having a substantially horizontal 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 having a first C-shaped section that surrounds a center section of the upper surface of the columnar section, the first C-shaped section having an first opening section that forms a first clear path in the horizontal direction between the center section and an exterior periphery of the first C-shaped section, and the second conductive layer having a second C-shaped section that surrounds the center section and overlaps the first C-shaped section, the second C-shaped section having a second opening section that forms a second clear path in the horizontal direction between the center section and an exterior periphery of the second C-shaped section.