PURPOSE: To obtain the electrode structure more excellent in the heat resistance of the interface between a high melting point metallic nitride film and a group III-V compound semiconductor, by a method wherein the discharge gas pressure during sputtering is varied in two steps.

CONSTITUTION: After introduction of a GaAs substrate 1 into a sputter apparatus, the sample chamber is exhausted to 10-7torr, and the mixed gas of argon with nitrogen is introduced to 5×10-3torr; then, a tungsten thin film 2 is formed by sputtering the tungsten target in the mixed atmosphere with a proportion of nitrogen content of 30%. The pressure of the sample chamber is increased to 10-2torr in the situation of keeping said proportion at 30%, and a tungsten nitride film 3 is formed by sputtering again. From the difference in discharge gas pressure during sputtering, the film 2 shows compressing stress, and the film 3 tensile stress. As a result, the stresses of the tungsten nitride films are canceled each other, and tungsten nitride films can be formed on the GaAs substrate without exfoliation.