Characteristics of various driving modes in a field emission display with carbon nanotube emitters are investigated through computer simulations. In triode structural field emission displays electron emission from the cathode electrode is induced by the extraction of external electric fields due to the gate electrode and anode electrode. By the relative value of gate and anode field strengths on emission material the driving mode may divide into four categories of gate extraction, gate-anode extraction, anode-gate extraction, and anode extraction modes. According to our simulation results, the best performance would be produced by the gate-anode and the anode-gate extraction modes, in which the gate and anode fields on emission material are compatible in strength. (c) 2005 American Vacuum Society.