Fully processed boron implanted n(-)-gated silicon tip arrays were coated with about 50 nm of carbon-doped BN by reactive sputtering at 450 degreesC. The current-voltage characteristics of the BN coated 6460 tip arrays shifted by about 40-60 V towards lower gate voltages for emission currents of about 100 muA. From the Fowler-Nordheim analysis of representative arrays, the alpha (3/2)/beta ratio decreased from 2.5x10(-5) eV(3/2)cm to 8.9x10(-6) eV(3/2)cm for the coated tips. This decrease is attributed to an increase in the field conversion factor beta. The arrays improve in performance when operated at 40 mA/cm(2) for about 100 h in direct current mode and show a factor of 6 increased pressure tolerance towards ion bombardment as compared to the bare silicon emitters.