Patent ID: 9269624
Filing Date: 2016-02-23
CPC Classification: B24B,H01L

Claim Text:
1. A wafer processing method of dividing a wafer into a plurality of individual device chips along a plurality of crossing division lines and mounting an adhesive film for die bonding on a back side of each device chip, said plurality of crossing division lines being formed on a front side of said wafer to thereby define a plurality of separate regions where a plurality of devices are respectively formed, said wafer processing method comprising: a wafer supporting step of mounting said adhesive film on a back side of said wafer, attaching a dicing tape to said adhesive film, and supporting a peripheral portion of said dicing tape to an annular frame, wherein said wafer has already been divided along said division lines or a break start point has already been formed inside said wafer along each division line; a protective film forming step of applying a water-soluble resin to the front side of said wafer and/or a peripheral portion of said adhesive film projecting from an outer circumference of said wafer, thereby forming a protective film from said water-soluble resin; and an adhesive film breaking step of expanding said dicing tape to thereby break said adhesive film along said individual device chips after performing said protective film forming step.