Conventionally, in semiconductor light emitting elements, in particular light emitting diodes (LEDs), the light output can be increased by providing a reflective film that includes silver or the like as an electrode to prevent the absorption of light emitting from the light emitting layer. Also, a protective film comprising an insulating material and a metallic material is formed using a sputtering method, a vapor deposition method or the like to prevent a reduction in the light-reflecting action due to migration or discoloration or the like of this reflective film (JP2003-168823-A, etc.).
Conventional semiconductor light emitting elements can reduce migration, discoloration or the like by a protective film comprising a metallic material, but it is still not possible to inhibit migration or discoloration or the like. Consequently, there is a problem in that a reduction in output is unavoidable. In other words, because the protective film material is supplied to the wafer isotropically using the sputtering method or vapor deposition method, the structure of the semiconductor layer itself or the like becomes an obstacle, for example, in the side and corner portions of an electrode that includes a reflective film, and it is not possible to form the protective film uniformly. For this reason, it is necessary to increase the thickness of the protective film to prevent migration or discoloration of the reflective film. Thus, there is a problem that such a thick protective film becomes the walls to absorb the light emitted from the light emitting element, which leads to a decrease in light output.