TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The additional device processing steps are performed after the epitaxially depositing a thin film semiconductor substrate step and prior to the releasing process step. The step of epitaxially depositing a thickening layer of semiconductor material is performed once after many of the epitaxially depositing the thin film semiconductor substrate and subsequently releasing the thin film semiconductor substrate process cycles. The laser processing is utilized prior to the step of releasing the thin film semiconductor substrate from the reusable semiconductor template by separation at the porous semiconductor layer. The step of epitaxially depositing a thickening layer of semiconductor material on the front side of the template restores the ridges (113) to a position substantially planar to the front side edge of the template. The doped semiconductor template is lightly doped and the thickening layer of semiconductor material is more highly doped to facilitate producing the porous semiconductor material. The method further comprises: using bevel grinding of the template containing the epitaxially deposited thin film semiconductor substrate to define a boundary of the thin film semiconductor substrate prior to the step of releasing, thus aiding the step of releasing; and the step of polishing or grinding the thickening layer of semiconductor material from a beveled edge of the reusable semiconductor template, thus strengthening the template. The step of epitaxially depositing a thickening layer of semiconductor material on the front side of the template is performed after it is determined the thickness of the reusable doped semiconductor template is below a predetermined threshold. The step of epitaxially depositing a thickening layer of semiconductor material on the front side of the template is performed when there exists epitaxial layer on the front side of the reusable semiconductor template with a dopant non-suitable for porous semiconductor layer formation. The step of releasing the thin film semiconductor substrate from the reusable semiconductor template by separation at the porous semiconductor layer further comprises utilizing laser processing. Preferred Components: The crystalline semiconductor comprises crystalline silicon, where the crystalline silicon comprises monocrystalline silicon. The reusable doped crystalline semiconductor template comprises substantially planar surface, textured surface or three-dimensional surface topography for the formation of the thin film crystalline semiconductor substrate. The three-dimensional surface topography comprises surface cavities and ridges defining the openings of the surface cavities. The wafer is a monocrystalline silicon wafer. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.