A light emitter, being an LED or laser diode, is disposed above a base substrate, and a coating material containing a dye compound, such as an epoxy material containing a fluorescent or luminescent substance, is applied over the light emitter. The base substrate includes a raised platform on which the light emitter is mounted, such that the light emitter is supported at a prescribed distance from the surrounding base substrate. The device allows the dye compound within the coating material to settle into the recessed base substrate surrounding the platform and leave the sides of the light emitter able to retain only a coating of the dye comparable in thickness to that coating remaining on the upper surface of the light emitter, in order to improve the uniformity of the light distribution pattern emitted from the device.