A method for transferring a useful layer to a carrier substrate, includes the following steps: a) providing a donor substrate including a buried weakened plane; b) providing a carrier substrate; c) joining the donor substrate, by its front face, to the carrier substrate along a bonding interface so as to form a bonded structure; d) annealing the bonded structure in order to apply a weakening thermal budget thereto and to bring the buried weakened plane to a defined level of weakening; and e) initiating a splitting wave in the weakened plane by applying a stress to the bonded structure, the splitting wave self-propagating along the weakened plane to result in the useful layer being transferred to the carrier substrate. The splitting wave is initiated when the bonded structure is subjected to a temperature between 150° C. and 250° C.