A coplanar thin-film light-emitting diode, comprising: a conductive substrate; a metal layer formed on a lower surface of the substrate; an insulating dielectric film layer formed on an upper surface of the substrate; a eutectic metal or solder metal conductive adhesive layer formed on the insulating dielectric film layer; a metal reflective electrode formed on the conductive adhesive layer, wherein the conductive adhesive layer and the reflective electrode together form a current spreading layer; an epitaxial structure (302, 304, 305) on the reflective electrode, the epitaxial structure (302, 304, 305) comprising an n-type GaN-based layer, a p-type GaN-based layer, and an active region in between the n-type GaN-based layer and the p-type GaN-based layer, wherein a part of the epitaxial structure is removed so as to form a mesa on the reflective electrode and expose an upper surface of the current spreading layer (306, 308) and a side wall of the first epitaxial layer, the active region and the second epitaxial layer, wherein the p-type GaN-based layer is disposed between the active region and the current spreading layer (306, 308), and wherein the substrate is not an original growth substrate for the epitaxial structure (302, 304, 305); a metal patterned second electrode on the top surface of the n-type GaN-based layer forming the mesa (302, 304, 305); and a metal pad contact for a bonding wire, the pad contact being directly connected to the upper surface of the current spreading layer (306, 308), wherein the entire edge of the current spreading layer (306, 308) is recessed on each side of the chip from the edge of both the insulating dielectric film layer and the substrate by the same distance. a conductive substrate; a metal layer formed on a lower surface of the substrate; an insulating dielectric film layer formed on an upper surface of the substrate; a eutectic metal or solder metal conductive adhesive layer formed on the insulating dielectric film layer; a metal reflective electrode formed on the conductive adhesive layer, wherein the conductive adhesive layer and the reflective electrode together form a current spreading layer; an epitaxial structure (302, 304, 305) on the reflective electrode, the epitaxial structure (302, 304, 305) comprising an n-type GaN-based layer, a p-type GaN-based layer, and an active region in between the n-type GaN-based layer and the p-type GaN-based layer, wherein a part of the epitaxial structure is removed so as to form a mesa on the reflective electrode and expose an upper surface of the current spreading layer (306, 308) and a side wall of the first epitaxial layer, the active region and the second epitaxial layer, wherein the p-type GaN-based layer is disposed between the active region and the current spreading layer (306, 308), and wherein the substrate is not an original growth substrate for the epitaxial structure (302, 304, 305); a metal patterned second electrode on the top surface of the n-type GaN-based layer forming the mesa (302, 304, 305); and a metal pad contact for a bonding wire, the pad contact being directly connected to the upper surface of the current spreading layer (306, 308), wherein the entire edge of the current spreading layer (306, 308) is recessed on each side of the chip from the edge of both the insulating dielectric film layer and the substrate by the same distance.