A flat panel display and a method for forming a flat panel display. In one embodiment, the flat panel display includes a cathodic structure which is formed within an active area on a backplate. The cathodic structure includes a row metal composed of strips of aluminum overlain by a layer of cladding material. The use of aluminum and cladding material to form row metal gives row metal segments which are highly conductive due to the high conductivity of aluminum. By using a suitable cladding material and processing steps, a bond between the aluminum and the cladding material is formed which has good electrical conductivity. In one embodiment, tantalum is used as a cladding material. Tantalum forms a bond with the overlying resistive layer which has good electrical conductivity. Thus, the resulting structure has very high electrical conductivity through the aluminum layer and high conductivity into the resistive layer.