Efficient photoemission has been demonstrated from uniform large‐area arrays of field emitters, fabricated at densities of 106in.−2by microetching techniques inp‐type silicon. Such arrays were shown to emit electrons into vacuum when biased by a closely spaced plane anode (125‐ to 500‐&mgr;m spacing) at a few kilovolts. No high‐vacuum cesiation or high‐temperature cleaning is required to observe this emission.Stablereflective photosensitivities exceeding 1500 &mgr;A/lm and quantum efficiencies of 2% at 1.06 &mgr;m and 28% at 0.90 &mgr;m have been demonstrated in thickp‐type silicon arrays.