Patent ID: 7436066

Claim:
A semiconductor element, comprising a nitride semiconductor layer, an electrode connected to said nitride semiconductor layer, and an insulating film covering at least part of said electrode, wherein the electrode comprises: a first metal film in contact with the nitride semiconductor layer; and a second metal film completely covering the first metal film, wherein the first metal film is a multilayer film comprising a silver or a silver alloy film, and further comprising one or more metal films that inhibit a reaction with silver and are disposed over the silver or silver alloy film, and the insulating film comprises a nitride film, wherein at least one of the one or more films disposed over the silver or silver alloy film in the first metal film is formed such that the thickness of a portion disposed on a side face of the silver or silver alloy film is less than the thickness of the portion disposed over the silver or silver alloy film, and wherein the second metal film is formed such that the portions disposed on sides of the first metal film are thicker than the portion disposed above said first metal film.