A method for manufacturing a field electron emission source includes: providing an insulating substrate; patterning a cathode layer on at least one portion of the insulating substrate; forming a number of emitters on the cathode layer; coating a photoresist layer on the insulating substrate, the cathode layer and the emitters; exposing predetermined portions of the photoresist layer to radiation, wherein the exposed portions are corresponding to the emitters; forming a mesh structure on the photoresist layer; and removing the exposed portions of photoresist layer. The method can be easily performed and the achieved the field electron emission source has a high electron emission efficiency.