A light emitting device comprising: a first semiconductor layer having doping of a first type; a second semiconductor layer having doping of a second type; a light emitting region interdisposed between the first and the second semiconductor layers (702,704) wherein light generated in the light emitting region is extracted from the device via an upper surface of the second semiconductor layer and includes a dominant wavelength having an effective wavelength in the device, a first electrode (104,707) disposed on the first semiconductor layer; a second electrode (105,706) disposed on the second semiconductor layer; and, a first plurality of evenly distributed light extracting elements (101,601,705) defined on an upper surface of the second semiconductor layer and adapted to couple light out of the device and to modify the far field emission profile of the device, wherein each of the light extracting elements (101,601,705) is a continuous elongate region having length, width and depth dimensions such that the length of each region is at least twice the width of the region and greater than the effective dominant wavelength of the generated light, and such that the depth dimension of the region extends orthogonal to the upper surface of the second semiconductor layer but does not extend into the light emitting region, and wherein each elongate region (101,601,705) has its length dimension oriented at a detuning angle relative to one of a pair of basis axes (106,107) defining a plane parallel to the second semiconductor layer, wherein a first axis of the pair of basis axes (106, 107) is parallel to an edge of the second semiconductor layer and the second axis of the pair of basis axes (106, 107) is perpendicular to the first axis, the magnitude of the detuning angle being greater than or equal to 0 degrees and less than 45 degrees, such that at least two elongate regions (101,601,705) in the first plurality are not parallel with one another, wherein each continuous elongate region (101,601,705) is an indentation in the upper surface of the second semiconductor layer, each elongate region (101,601,705) being spatially separated from neighbouring elongate regions in the first plurality such that it perturbs light generated in the light emitting region independently of neighbouring elongate regions (101,601,705). a first semiconductor layer having doping of a first type; a second semiconductor layer having doping of a second type; a light emitting region interdisposed between the first and the second semiconductor layers (702,704) wherein light generated in the light emitting region is extracted from the device via an upper surface of the second semiconductor layer and includes a dominant wavelength having an effective wavelength in the device, a first electrode (104,707) disposed on the first semiconductor layer; a second electrode (105,706) disposed on the second semiconductor layer; and, a first plurality of evenly distributed light extracting elements (101,601,705) defined on an upper surface of the second semiconductor layer and adapted to couple light out of the device and to modify the far field emission profile of the device, wherein each of the light extracting elements (101,601,705) is a continuous elongate region having length, width and depth dimensions such that the length of each region is at least twice the width of the region and greater than the effective dominant wavelength of the generated light, and such that the depth dimension of the region extends orthogonal to the upper surface of the second semiconductor layer but does not extend into the light emitting region, and wherein each elongate region (101,601,705) has its length dimension oriented at a detuning angle relative to one of a pair of basis axes (106,107) defining a plane parallel to the second semiconductor layer, wherein a first axis of the pair of basis axes (106, 107) is parallel to an edge of the second semiconductor layer and the second axis of the pair of basis axes (106, 107) is perpendicular to the first axis, the magnitude of the detuning angle being greater than or equal to 0 degrees and less than 45 degrees, such that at least two elongate regions (101,601,705) in the first plurality are not parallel with one another, wherein each continuous elongate region (101,601,705) is an indentation in the upper surface of the second semiconductor layer, each elongate region (101,601,705) being spatially separated from neighbouring elongate regions in the first plurality such that it perturbs light generated in the light emitting region independently of neighbouring elongate regions (101,601,705).