An electron emission element according to the present invention is compact, thin and low cost, and has a structure and constitution in which deterioration of the electron emission material itself is low. In the electron emission element, boron nitride material is used as the electron emission material, and a metal material or a semiconductor material is used as a substrate for forming the boron nitride material. In this way it is possible to obtain good quality boron nitride material on the substrate. Also, a voltage can be applied to the material to emit electrons, also electrons can be supplied. Moreover, by using Sp.sup.3-bonded boron nitride as the boron nitride material, and using Sp.sup.3-bonded 5H--BN material or Sp.sup.3-bonded 6H--BN material as the Sp.sup.3-bonded boron nitride, a field electron emission element can be achieved for which high efficiency electron emission characteristics unprecedented in conventional art can be obtained.