Recovery of an anodically bonded glass device from a substrate by use of a metal interlayer

A structure and method for removing and recovering an anodically bonded glass device from a substrate using a metal interlayer interposed between the glass and the substrate is provided. As used in semiconductor mask fabrication, the structure comprises a silicon wafer substrate coated with a membrane on which a metal interlayer is disposed. The metal interlayer and a glass device are anodically bonded together. Recovery of the glass device is accomplished by chemically and mechanically removing the wafer and its membrane from the metal interlayer. The membrane is preferably removed using reactive ion etching to which the metal interlayer is resistant. The metal interlayer is then removed from the glass device using a highly corrosive chemical solution. The recovered glass device may then be reused.