Fabrication and characterization of carbon nanotubes deposited on microstructured Ni substrate are presented. The highly active surface-area of the microstructured Ni substrate provides highdensity nucleation sites for carbon nanotubes. Coated fine Ni powder also serves as a catalyst for the nanotube growth. Hydrocarbon mixtures were used as the carbon source for the chemical vapor deposition process. Carbon nanotubes deposited on the microstructured Ni substrate were examined by SEM. An ultra high vacuum chamber was used to characterize the field emission properties of carbon nanotube coatings.