The unprecedented emission capability of top-layer scandate cathodes prepared by laser ablation deposition (LAD) was already reported [1,2] yielding 460 A cm(-2) at 1030 degreesC true temperature, which is a factor of about 20 higher than for the best impregnated (I) cathodes. Therefore their emission behaviour has been investigated down to room temperature, yielding 0.5 A cm(-2) at 500 degreesC and 0.001 A cm(-2) at 300 degreesC. The measurements underline, that the work function (WF) remains about constant over a wide temperature range. The effective work function with the theoretical thermionic constant of 120.4 A (cm K)(-2) amounted to 1.42 eV, a Richardson plot determination resulted in a Richardson WF of 1.16 eV and a Richardson constant of 8.5 A (cm K)(-2). Field emission was observed at room temperature and at about 300 degreesC for LAD-top-layer scandate cathodes ('Sc'/Re-1) and was compared with other Ba dispenser cathodes. The threshold field strengths were 3.2 V mum(-1) for 'Sc'/Re-I, 12.4 V mum(-1) for Re-I and 15.7 V mum(-1) for W-'I. The emission stability at low operating temperatures is dependent on residual gas pressure and composition. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.