The invention provides improved devices containing adherent carbon nanotube films, in particular electron field emitter structures containing such films. Previously, attaining even moderate adherence of powdery or mat-like nanotubes to a substrate was difficult, because of the perfect fullerene structure of nanotubes, which tend to exhibit no dangling bonds or defect sites where chemical bonding to the substrate is able to occur. The invention overcomes these problems, and provides a strongly adherent nanotube film, by a variety of fabrication processes.