A Reflective Field Emission Display system, components and methods for fabricating the components. In the FED system, a plurality of reflective edge emission pixel elements are arranged in a matrix of N rows and M columns, the pixel elements contain an edge emitter that is operable to emit electrons and a reflector that is operable to extract and laterally reflect emitted electrons. A collector layer, laterally disposed from said reflector layer is operable to attract the reflected electrons. Deposited on the collector layer is a phosphor layer that emits a photon of a known wavelength when activated by an attracted electron. A transparent layer that is oppositely positioned with respect to the pixel elements is operable to attract reflected electrons and prevent reflected electrons from striking the phosphor layer. Color displays are further contemplated by incorporating individually controlled sub-pixel elements in each of the pixel elements. The phosphor layers emit photons having wavelengths in the red, green or blue color spectrum.