Patent ID: 7498239

Claim:
A method of processing a wafer with a grinding device having a chuck table, the wafer having a front surface and a rear surface, the front surface including both a device region on which a plurality of devices are formed and an outer region surrounding the device region, said method comprising: bonding an annular protective member to the front surface of the wafer in the outer region of the front surface, wherein the annular protective member includes a vacant center portion; grinding the rear surface of the wafer while retaining the wafer on the chuck table of the grinding device so that the front surface of the wafer faces the chuck table via the annular protective member bonded to the outer region on the front surface of the wafer; dividing the wafer into individual parts in such a manner as to separate the device region into the plurality of devices; and cutting the wafer along an inner circumference of the annular protective member and separating the outer region from the device region, said cutting of the wafer and said separating of the outer region being carried out prior to said dividing of the wafer.