Problems with a conventional cathode for electronic tubes arose because metals composing the substrate were subjected to heat deformation, resulting in a relatively lage drift of cutoff voltage. The present invention diminishes the heat deformation of the substrate to obtain a cathode with a small drift of cutoff voltage. Particularly, heat expansion coefficients can be made uniform while metals in the metal layer are prevented from diffusing into the substrate. This is done by incorporating the same metals present in the metal layer into the metals composing the substrate, thereby supressing deformation of the substrate.