Patent ID: 8395185

Claim:
A switching element comprising: an insulative substrate composed of a layer containing nitrogen as one surface of the insulative substrate and a layer not containing nitrogen; a first electrode which is provided on the one surface of the insulative substrate, the first electrode being composed of a first electrode lower portion and a first electrode upper portion, one end surface of the first electrode lower portion being at a first predetermined angle with respect to the one surface of the insulative substrate, and the first electrode upper portion being laminated on the first electrode lower portion; a second electrode which is provided on the one surface of the insulative substrate, one end surface of the second electrode on the first electrode side being at a second predetermined angle with respect to the one surface of the insulative substrate; and an interelectrode gap which is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, and which has a gap of nanometer order, wherein the interelectrode gap includes a closest portion between the first electrode and the second electrode, the closest portion being a space between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the one surface of the insulative substrate being exposed in the space of the closest portion, the one end surface of the first electrode lower portion is inclined with respect to the one surface of the insulative substrate at the first predetermined angle, which is less than 90 degrees, an end surface of the first electrode upper portion is inclined with respect to the one surface of the insulative substrate at a third predetermined angle that is less than the first predetermined angle, and the one end surface of the second electrode on the first electrode side is inclined with respect to the one surface of the insulative substrate at the second predetermined angle, which is less than 90 degrees.