Patent ID: 7264998

Claim:
A method of joining a separation tape onto a semiconductor wafer and, then, separating the separation tape from the semiconductor wafer, thereby separating an unnecessary matter on the semiconductor wafer together with the separation tape, the method comprising the steps of: providing an edge member having a tip end; joining the separation tape onto the semiconductor wafer at a separation start end portion where the separation tape is joined onto the semiconductor wafer and, then, is separated from the semiconductor wafer, in such a manner that the tip end of the edge member is pressed to a surface of the separation tape thereby pressing the semiconductor wafer; releasing the tip end of the edge member from the surface of the separation tape after completion of joining of the separation tape in the previous step thereby relieving the pressing of the semiconductor wafer; and separating the separation tape to a separation completion end portion in a state of releasing the tip end of the edge member from the surface of the semiconductor wafer and, then, the tip end of the edge member is pressed to the semiconductor wafer at the separation completion end portion where the unnecessary matter is separated from semiconductor wafer.