A field emitter element comprising a bottom layer of material shaping the overall emitter element, and a top layer of low work function material or otherwise of high electron emissivity characteristic. The low work function top layer preferably is shaped to a sharp point. The bottom layer may be formed of a material such as tantalum, molybdenum, gold, or silicon (or alloys thereof), and the top layer may be formed of a material such as Cr.sub.3 Si, Cr.sub.3 Si.sub.2, CrSI.sub.2, Nb.sub.3 Si.sub.2, Nb, Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 or SiC. In a specific aspect, at least one of the first and second emitter materials is chromium oxide (Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3). In another variant, the first emitter material is an insulator of leaky dielectric, e.g., SiO with a 10-60% Cr by weight based on the weight of SiO, and the second emitter material is SiO+50-90% Cr by weight, based on the weight of SiO.