A plurality of dies includes a gallium and nitrogen containing substrate having a surface region and an epitaxial material formed overlying the surface region. The epitaxial material includes an n-type cladding region, an active region having at least one active layer overlying the n-type cladding region, and a p-type cladding region overlying the active region. The epitaxial material is patterned to form the plurality of dies on the surface region, the dies corresponding to a laser device. Each of the plurality of dies includes a release region composed of a material with a smaller bandgap than an adjacent epitaxial material. A lateral width of the release region is narrower than a lateral width of immediately adjacent layers above and below the release region to form undercut regions bounding each side of the release region. Each die also includes a passivation region extending along sidewalls of the active region.