A miniature LED element (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 620, 711) includes: a mesa (110, 310, 510) comprising a first
semiconductor layer (111, 311, 511), an intermediate layer (112, 312), and a second
semiconductor layer (113, 313, 513) stacked from top to bottom, wherein the mesa (110, 310, 510) is divided into two steps (110A, 110B; 310A, 310B) on the side of the intermediate layer (112, 312), the intermediate layer (112, 312) comprising: a light-emitting layer (114, 314, 514); and a third
semiconductor layer (115, 315). The third semiconductor layer (115, 315, 515) is disposed on the surface of the light-emitting layer (114, 314, 514), wherein the third semiconductor layer (115, 315, 515) is exposed outside the mesa (110, 310, 510) to have an exposed surface (116, 316, 516) relative to the mesa (110, 310, 510); and a Schottky
metal layer (130, 330, 520, 630) is disposed on the exposed surface (116, 316, 516), wherein the Schottky
metal layer (130, 330, 520, 630) forms a
depletion region (191, 391, 521) in the light-emitting layer (114, 314, 514).