A method of removing a substrate from III-nitride based semiconductor layers with a cleaving technique. A growth restrict mask is formed on or above a substrate, and one or more III-nitride based semiconductor layers are grown on or above the substrate using the growth restrict mask. The III-nitride based semiconductor layers are bonded to a support substrate or film, and the III-nitride based semiconductor layers are removed from the substrate using a cleaving technique on a surface of the substrate. Stress may be applied to the III-nitride based semiconductor layers, due to differences in thermal expansion between the III-nitride substrate and the support substrate or film bonded to the III-nitride based semiconductor layers, before the III-nitride based semiconductor layers are removed from the substrate. Once removed, the substrate can be recycled, resulting in cost savings for device fabrication.