US Patent 7783145 - Electrode having nanofilaments

http://ip.com/patent/US7783145

Optoelectronic devices such as lasers, LEDs, modulators, and photosensors usually require electrodes to connect the optical medium to control electronics. However, these electrodes can represent a significant source of energy loss. This patent from HP teaches forming conductive nanofilaments to reduce this problem. Claim 1 reads: 

1. An optical device comprising:

an electrode configured to reduce eddy currents, wherein the electrode comprises

an electrically conductive base portion and

a plurality of nanofilaments in connection with the electrically conductive base portion,

wherein the base portion has a width and a length longer than the width, and lengths of the plurality of nanofilaments are substantially parallel to the length of the base portion; and

an optical layer associated with the plurality of nanofilaments of the electrode,

wherein the plurality of nanofilaments are operable to conduct an electric current between the optical layer and the base portion of the electrode.