There is provided a field emitter device formed over a semiconductor substrate. The field emitter device includes at least one field emitter tip disposed over the substrate, and a conducting gate electrode layer disposed over the substrate. The field emitter device also includes a protective electronic component disposed over and integral to the substrate and electrically connecting the conducting gate electrode layer to the substrate such that if the conducting gate electrode layer experiences a voltage greater than a breakdown voltage of the field emitter device, the protective electronic component conducts current between the conducting gate electrode layer and the substrate.