A light-emitting device comprises an active-region sandwiched between an n-type layer and a p-type layer, that allows lateral carrier injection into the active-region so as to reduce heat generation in the active-region and to minimize additional forward voltage increase associated with bandgap discontinuity. In some embodiments, the active-region is a vertically displaced multiple-quantum-well (MQW) active-region. A method for fabricating the same is also provided.