To provide a storage element having improved resistance against the repetitive operation of write/erasure, in a storage for storing information by utilizing a change in the resistance state of an oxide layer contained in a storage layer.

The storage layer 2 is sandwiched between first and second electrodes 1, 5. The storage layer 2 has an oxide layer 3 made of an oxide of a rare earth element, and an ion source layer 4 containing at least one type selected from Cu, Ag, or Zn to be ionized. The storage element 10 having an ion source diffusion control layer 6 for regulating the diffusion of ions is composed around the connection section between the oxide layer 3 and the ion source layer 4 in contact with the oxide layer 3 and the ion source layer 4.

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