PURPOSE: To improve the high frequency characteristic of a gallium arsenide field effect transistor by improving a forming method for the recess of the transistor.

CONSTITUTION: Ohmic source and drain electrodes 5, 6 made of gold-germanium/ gold layer are formed, and a resist film 7 for forming a gate electrode recess is formed. An opening 8 is formed by reactive ion etching with chlorine or methane fluoride dichloride as reactive gas. Wet etching is conducted with mixture aqueous solution of fluoric acid and hydrogen peroxide water as an etchant, and a film 9 of aluminum or titanium/gold is formed after the step. The film 7 is dissolved and removed to form a Schottky gate electrode 10. A gallium arsenide field effect transistor thus obtained has small gate-source capacitor Cgs and parasitic resistance Rs, improved shut-off frequency characteristic and large gate breakdown strength.