A method for minimizing or avoiding contamination of a receiving handle wafer during transfer of a thin layer from a donor wafer. This method includes providing a donor wafer and a receiving handle wafer, each having a first surface prepared for bonding and a second surface, with the donor wafer providing a layer of material to be transferred to the receiving handle wafer. Next, at least one of the first surfaces is treated to provide increased bonding energy when the first surfaces are bonded together; the surfaces are then bonded together to form an intermediate multilayer structure; and a portion of the donor wafer is removed to transfer the thin layer to the receiving handle wafer and form the semiconductor structure. This method avoids or minimizes contamination of the second surface of the receiving handle wafer by treating only the first surface of the donor wafer prior to bonding by exposure to a plasma, and by conducting any thermal treatments after plasma activation at a temperature of 300° C. to 500° C. in order to avoid diffusion of impurities into the transfer layer.