Abstract: An apparatus and method for regulating the emission current from a single (macroscopic) field emitter, from groups of emitters within a large (microscopic) array, or from each cell within an array is described. The apparatus includes an additional aperture, fabricated at each field emitter array cell, to create and electron energy filter. The filter aperture of the electron energy filter is similar to the gate aperture but located above or in front of the gate aperture, and is held at a positive potential lower than the gate. The filter allows only those electrons with energy greater than some minimum (the cutoff energy) to pass through. A current-limiting circuit is placed in series with the gate aperture, limiting the total current of electrons that do not pass through the filter. Thus, emission from low energy states is limited without limiting emission from states near the Fermi level.