A three-dimensional complex carbon nanoneedle has been fabricated from carbon nanowalls by a direct current plasma chemical vapor deposition system. Sample grown on stainless wire substrate pretreated with the mixing powders of diamond and molybdenum exhibits novel three-dimensional complex nanostructure, the center of which is a carbon nanoneedle, and many carbon nanowalls growing from the needle. The density of unique nanostructure emitters was about 5 x 10(7)/cm(2). The I-V characteristic addressed an emission current density of 314 mA/cm(2) at the electric field of 2.5 V/mu m. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.