A structure includes a substrate, a template layer formed on the surface of the substrate and including an AlN layer, and a device structure portion formed by stacking AlGaN semiconductor layers on the template layer. For the structure, the AlN layer is irradiated from a side close to the substrate with a laser light with a wavelength by which the laser light passes through the substrate and the laser light is absorbed by the AlN layer, in a state in which the AlN layer receives compressive stress from the substrate. This allows the AlN layer to expand more than the surface of the substrate on at least an interface between the AlN layer and the substrate so as to increase the compressive stress, in order to remove the substrate from the AlN layer.