According to this invention, a compression contacted semiconductor device is characterized by including a semiconductor pellet having main electrodes formed a first major surface of one surface side and a second major surface of another surface side, and electrode posts arranged on at least one major surface of the semiconductor pellet through an electrode member to sandwich the semiconductor pellet to compress the electrodes of the first and second major surfaces, wherein a crystal defect density is distributed within a surface of the semiconductor pellet so that a carrier lifetime of at least heat generating portions in the surface of the semiconductor pellet which do not sufficiently conduct heat to the electrode posts is shorter than a carrier lifetime of major heat generating portions which sufficiently conduct heat to the electrode posts. For this reason, current in the heat generating portions which do not sufficiently conduct heat to the electrode members is decreased. Therefore, the amount of heat generation is reduced, and the break-down voltage of a semiconductor element is increased.