A method comprising: forming a light emitting structure on a substrate, the light emitting structure including a plurality of light emitting elements (310A - 310L) connected in series, each light emitting element (310A - 310L) including an active region sandwiched between an N-region and a P-region, a contact (310A(n) - 310L(n)) to the N-region, a contact (310A(p) - 310L(p)) to the P-region, and a non-conductive region between these contacts, forming a first metal segment that is coupled to the contact (310A(n)) to the N- region at the beginning of the series connection, a second metal segment that is coupled to the contact (310L(p)) to the P-region at the end of the series connection, and contact-coupling segments (355A - 355K) that couple the N and P contacts of adjacent elements (310A - 310L); forming inactive metal segments in the non-conducting regions, wherein said inactive metal segments are not coupled to the light emitting elements (310A-310L); forming a plurality of metal pillars (360A, 360B, 365), said plurality of metal pillars (360A, 360B, 365) comprising a first active pillar being coupled to the first metal segment, a second active pillar being coupled to the second metal segment, and inactive pillars formed on the inactive metal segments, wherein said inactive pillars are not coupled to any of the light emitting elements (310A-310L); forming a filler material that occupies spaces between the metal pillars (360A; 360B, 365), and forming a first metal pad that is coupled to the first active pillar and a second metal pad that is coupled to the second active pillar, the first and second metal pads (370A, 370B) being situated to provide external connection to the N-region at the beginning of the series connection and P-region at the end of the series connection via the first and second active pillars (360A, 360B). forming a light emitting structure on a substrate, the light emitting structure including a plurality of light emitting elements (310A - 310L) connected in series, each light emitting element (310A - 310L) including an active region sandwiched between an N-region and a P-region, a contact (310A(n) - 310L(n)) to the N-region, a contact (310A(p) - 310L(p)) to the P-region, and a non-conductive region between these contacts, forming a first metal segment that is coupled to the contact (310A(n)) to the N- region at the beginning of the series connection, a second metal segment that is coupled to the contact (310L(p)) to the P-region at the end of the series connection, and contact-coupling segments (355A - 355K) that couple the N and P contacts of adjacent elements (310A - 310L); forming inactive metal segments in the non-conducting regions, wherein said inactive metal segments are not coupled to the light emitting elements (310A-310L); forming a plurality of metal pillars (360A, 360B, 365), said plurality of metal pillars (360A, 360B, 365) comprising a first active pillar being coupled to the first metal segment, a second active pillar being coupled to the second metal segment, and inactive pillars formed on the inactive metal segments, wherein said inactive pillars are not coupled to any of the light emitting elements (310A-310L); forming a filler material that occupies spaces between the metal pillars (360A; 360B, 365), and forming a first metal pad that is coupled to the first active pillar and a second metal pad that is coupled to the second active pillar, the first and second metal pads (370A, 370B) being situated to provide external connection to the N-region at the beginning of the series connection and P-region at the end of the series connection via the first and second active pillars (360A, 360B).