Amorphous carbon was deposited on needle-shaped Si field emitters by filtered cathodic are. Electron emission was obtained from these coated cathodes, but was reduced compared to emission from uncoated Si cathodes. Electron energy loss spectroscopy indicated that the coating was a high sp(2) content amorphous carbon. Au particles were found to have precipitated out of the Si emitters, which were grown by a vapor-liquid-solid technique utilizing the Au-Si eutectic during the oxidation and chemical etch sharpening of the emitters. High resolution transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction confirmed the amorphous nature of the coating and the presence of the Au particles at the Si surface. The field emission, electron energy loss spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and selected area electron diffraction results are presented and discussed.