An　improved　planar-gate　triode　with　carbon　nanotubes　(CNTs)　field　emitters　has　been　successfully　fabricated　by　conventional　photolithography,　screen　printing　and　electrophoretic　deposition　(EPD).　In　this　structure,　cathode　electrodes　and　ITO　arrays　linked　with　gate　electrodes　were　interdigitated　and　paralleled　on　the　same　plane　although　the　gate　electrodes　and　cathode　electrodes　were　isolated　by　dielectric　layer,　a　so-called　improved　planar-gate　triode　structure.　An　electrophoretic　process　was　developed　to　selectively　deposit　CNTs　field　emitters　onto　cathode　electrodes　in　the　CNTs　suspension　by　an　applied　voltage　between　the　gate　electrodes　and　cathode　electrodes.　The　optical　microscopy　and　FESEM　image　showed　that　the　CNTs　emitters　with　the　uniform　packing　density　were　selectively　defined　onto　the　cathode　electrodes.　In　addition,　field　emission　characteristics　of　an　improved　planar-gate　triode　with　CNTs　field　emitters　were　investigated.　The　experiment　results　indicated　that　the　turn-on　voltage　of　this　triode　structure　at　current　density　of　1　mu　A/cm(2)　was　approximately　55　V.　The　anode　current　and　gate　current　came　to　396　mu　A　and　325　mu　A,　at　gate　voltage　and　anode　voltage　of　100V　and　4000　V,　respectively　and　at　the　anode-cathode　spacing　of　2000　mu　m.　The　emission　image　became　brighter　and　the　luminous　image　with　dot　matrix　on　the　anode　plate　obviously　increased　with　the　increase　of　the　gate　voltage.　Moreover,　the　emission　current　fluctuation　was　smaller　than　5%　for　11　h,　which　indicated　that　the　improved　planar-gate　triode　has　a　good　field　emission　performance　and　long　lifetime.　(C)　2010　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.