The　tin　oxide　films　were　deposited　by　reactive　magnetron　sputtering　on　glass　substrates.　The　influence　of　the　growth　conditions,　including　the　substrate　temperature,　deposition　rate,　ratio　of　argon　and　oxygen　flow　rates,　and　film　thickness,　on　the　microstructures　and　emission　characteristics　were　evaluated.　The　prototyped　SnO2-array　cathode　was　fabricated　and　characterized　with　scanning　electron　microscopy.　The　results　show　that　the　film　thickness　strongly　affects　the　field　emission　property.　For　instance,　the　best　emitter　array　can　be　fabricated　with　a　60　nm　thick　SnO2　film.　At　the　on-set　voltage　of　4.5　V/μm,　the　emission　current　density　was　found　to　be　10　μA/m2;　at　a　bias　voltage　of　7　V/μm,　the　highest　emission　intensity　resulted　in　a　luminosity　of　2180　cd/m2.