PURPOSE: To provide an electrode structure which can be brought into ohmic- contact with a p-type AlxGayIn1-x-yN semiconductor (where, 0≤x≤1, 0≤y≤1, and x+y≤1) in an excellent state.

CONSTITUTION: An electrode 62 composed of a metallic nitride layer and metal hydride layer is formed by depositing a metal in which the change of nitride forming free energy is ≤0 kcal/mol and hydrogen occluding metal on a p-type AlxGayIn1-x-yN semiconductor layer 61 (where, 0≤x≤1, 0≤y≤1, and x+y≤1). A crystalline state which is suitable for p-type conductivity due to a less amount of circular openings of nitrogen atoms is formed near the surface of the senticonductor layer 61, because nitrogen atoms are attracted to the surface of the layer 61 by the metallic nitride layer. In addition, Mg atoms near 63 the surface of the semiconductor layer 61 are activated into an acceptor impurity, because the hydrogen coupled with Mg atoms is attracted by the metal hydride layer. At the boundary 63 between the semiconductor layer 61 and electrode 62, a sufficiently high carrier concentration as a contact layer is obtained and an extremely small ohmic-contact resistance can be realized.