Embodiments of substrate carriers which enable active/passive bonding and de-bonding of a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a substrate carrier for holding a substrate comprises a disk formed of a porous material, the disk being formed symmetrically about a central axis and defining a substantially planar upper surface. In some embodiments, the porous material is silicon carbide and the substrate carrier includes a semi-porous surface coating formed atop the upper surface of the disk.