LED chips with irregular microtextured light extraction surfaces, and fabrication methods

LED chips and related fabrication methods are disclosed. A LED chip includes an active layer arranged on or over a light-transmissive substrate having a light extraction surface. The light extraction surface comprises a microtextured etched surface having a non-repeating, irregular textural pattern (e.g., with an average feature depth in a range of from 120 nm to 400 nm, and preferably free of any plurality of equally sized, shaped, and spaced textural features). The microtextured etched surface may be formed by applying a micromask having first and second solid materials of different etching rates over the light extraction surface, and exposing the micromask to an etchant (e.g., via reactive ion etching) to form a microtextured etched surface having a non-repeating, irregular textural pattern. Lumiphoric material may be applied over the microtextured surface.