An electron emission device includes: a semiconductor layer; a porous semiconductor; and a thin-film metal electrode which are layered in turn. The electrode faces a vacuum space. The porous semiconductor layer has at least two or more of porosity-changed layers which have porosities which are different from each other in the thickness direction. The electron emission device emits electrons when an electric field is applied between the semiconductor layer and the thin-film metal electrode. An insulator layer made of a material selected from silicon oxide or silicon nitride may be formed between the porous semiconductor layer and the thin-film metal electrode. Si skeletons of the porous semiconductor layer are oxidized or nitrided.