A field emissive display (40) having an anode plate (10) coupled to a cathode plate (20) and a method for manufacturing the field emissive display (40). A substrate (21) of the cathode plate (20) is manufactured or selected such that its coefficient of thermal expansion substantially matches that of the anode plate (10), i.e., the coefficients of thermal expansion of the cathode plate (20) and the anode plate (10) are within ten percent of each other. The cathode plate (20) is coupled to the anode plate (10) by means of a frit structure (41) whose coefficient of thermal expansion preferably substantially matches that of the cathode plate (20) and the anode plate (10). A control circuit can be mounted to the bottom surface of the field emissive display (40).