A method for fabricating LED devices. The method includes providing a gallium and nitrogen containing substrate member (e.g., GaN) comprising a backside surface and a front side surface. The method includes subjecting the backside surface to a polishing process, causing a backside surface to be characterized by a surface roughness, subjecting the backside surface to an anisotropic etching process exposing various crystal planes to form a plurality of pyramid-like structures distributed spatially in a non-periodic manner on the backside surface, treating the backside surface comprising the plurality of pyramid-like structures, to a plasma species, and subjecting the backside surface to a surface treatment. The method further includes forming a contact material comprising an aluminum bearing species or a titanium bearing species overlying the surface-treated backside to form a plurality of LED devices with the contact material.