The authors have studied the modification of surface morphologies of screen-printed carbon nanotube (CNT) film by a liquid pretreatment and the agglomeration influence of CNT emitters. Liquid pretreatments before and after heat treatment are efficient as a removal process for organic binders for the improvement of field emission. In addition, this method enables to entangle an emitter to free individual standing CNTs. (c) 2007 American Vacuum Society.