A backlighting apparatus for an LCD display includes a substrate and a circuit trace disposed on a surface of the substrate. The apparatus further includes a plurality of light sources affixed to the substrate via the circuit trace in a predetermined pattern across the surface of the substrate. Each light source includes one or more micro-sized, unpackaged LEDs. A height of the one or more micro-sized, unpackaged LEDs is from about 12 microns to about 200 microns.