In this study, a method of fabricating lateral carbon nanotube (CNT)-based field emission triodes is discussed. The device, tested here in a diode configuration, consists of CNT emitters grown laterally from an etched quartz sidewall using thermal chemical vapor deposition. The lateral CNT growth is facilitated by a novel two-step angled evaporation technique. This method allows a Ni catalyst to be selectively deposited along the cathodic sidewall while burying all other regions of exposed Ni in a thick Ti layer thus preventing unwanted CNT growth. The lateral CNT emitters demonstrated turn-on fields as low as similar to 1.2 V/mu m for a total anode current of similar to 10 nA. The CNT emitters, with an estimated emitting area of 3.8 x 10(-6) cm(2), achieved a current of similar to 3.0 mu A at an applied field of similar to 2.0 V/mu m corresponding to a current density of approximately 800 mA/cm(2). The temperature dependence of the emission is also investigated. (c) 2008 American Vacuum Society.