Patent ID: 8921239

Claim:
A process for recycling a support substrate made of a material that is substantially transparent to at least one wavelength of electromagnetic radiation, which process comprises: providing an initial substrate; forming an intermediate layer on a bonding face of a support substrate having an initial roughness, with the intermediate layer being made of a material that is transparent to at least one wavelength of electromagnetic radiation; forming an electromagnetic radiation absorbing layer on one of a bonding face of the initial substrate or the intermediate layer; bonding the initial substrate and the support substrate with the electromagnetic radiation absorbing layer positioned therebetween; irradiating the electromagnetic radiation absorbing layer through the support substrate and the intermediate layer to induce separation of the support substrate from the initial substrate; removing the intermediate layer after the support substrate is separated so as to recover the support substrate for recycling and reuse, wherein the bonding face of the recovered support substrate has a roughness similar to the initial roughness; and reusing the recovered support substrate in a subsequent bonding process without reducing the roughness of the bonding face of the recovered support substrate.