Abstract: An electron source including a non-orthogonal row-column matrix of two dimensional arrays of electron emitters positioned in groups of arrays, common control electrodes mounted adjacent associated groups, and electrical connections to the arrays in each group connecting the emitters in each array in parallel and connecting each array in each group to a similar array in each other group so as to form rows of groups equal in number to the number of arrays in each group. The groups are positioned along a first axial direction and arranged with the arrays in each group spaced apart in a second direction, at an angle to the first direction, so that the arrays are evenly spaced in the first direction. In one embodiment dummy control electrodes are used at each end of the structure and in another embodiment a field compensating electrode is provided on opposite sides of each control electrode and a surrounding electrode extends between adjacent field compensating electrodes.