Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, current stability, and capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics of p-type Si gated field emitter arrays (FEAs) have been measured. Emitter tips were made on a p-type Si substrate with a resistivity of 100 Omega cm. From experimental results, emission current saturation was found to occur beyond similar to 2 mu A and an inversion layer was found to be present under the gate. The emission current was also found to be much more stable than n-type Si FEAs. A model to explain the present I-V characteristics was derived, based on current limitation by thermal carrier generation in depletion layers under both the tips and the gate. In this model, the inversion layer acts as an n-channel gathering the thermally-generated electrons under the gate and supplies them to the tips. A concept for a new FEA capable of actively controlling the emission current is proposed.