Patterned　Al-doped　SnO2　(Al-SnO2)　nanowires　have　been　synthesized　on　a　common　stainless　steel　mesh　substrates　by　thermal　evaporation　of　a　reaction　mixture　of,　Al　and　SnO　powders.　Field　emission　(FE)　test　demonstrate　that　Al-SnO2　nanowires　exhibited　better　FE　properties　with　higher　emission　current　density　and　lower　turn-on　field　than　pure　SnO2　nanowires.　The　turn-on　field　of　these　patterned　Al-SnO2　nanowires　at　current　density　of　1　μA/cm2　is　about　1.5　V/μm　and　the　threshold　field　at　current　density　of　1　mA/cm2　is　3.3　V/μm　at　an　emitter-anode　gap　of　500　μm.　The　current　density　rapidly　reaches　1.9　mA/cm2　at　the　electric　field　3.7　V/μm.　The　current　density　is　higher　than　or　comparable　to　those　of　the　carbon　nanotubes　and　other　one-dimensional　nanostructure　materials.　The　high　current　density,　low　threshold　electric　field　and　good　stability　of　these　patterned　Al-SnO2　nanowires　offer　advantages　as　field　emitter　for　many　potential　applications.　©　2008　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.