A light emitting diode (LED) precursor is provided. The LED precursor comprises a substrate (10), an LED structure (30) comprising a plurality of Group III-nitride layers, and a passivation layer (40). The LED structure comprises a p-type semiconductor layer (36), an n-type semiconductor layer (32), and an active layer (34) between the p-type and n-type semiconductor layers. Each of the plurality of Group III-nitride layers comprises a crystalline Group III-nitride. The LED structure has a sidewall (37) which extends in a plane orthogonal to a (0001) crystal plane of the Group III-nitride layers. The passivation layer is provided on the sidewall of the LED structure such that the passivation layer covers the active layer. The passivation layer comprises a crystalline Group III-nitride with a bandgap higher than a bandgap of the active layer. The LED structure is shaped such that the sidewall of the LED structure is aligned with a non-polar crystal plane of each the Group III-nitride layers of the LED structure.