Patent ID: 7696012

Claim:
A method of dividing a wafer having a plurality of streets, which are formed in a lattice pattern on the front surface, and having devices, which are formed in a plurality of areas sectioned by the plurality of streets, into individual devices along the streets, comprising: a protective member-affixing step for putting a protective member for protecting the devices onto the front surface of the wafer; a deteriorated layer-forming step for applying a laser beam of a wavelength having permeability for the wafer from the rear surface side of the wafer along the streets to form a deteriorated layer along the streets in an area where it does not reach the final thickness of each device from the front surface of the wafer and the rear surface of the wafer in the inside of the wafer; a groove-forming step for cutting areas corresponding to the streets from the rear surface side of the wafer where the deteriorated layer has been formed along the streets to form a groove reaching the deteriorated layer; a dividing step for dividing the wafer into individual devices along the streets where the deteriorated layer and the groove have been formed by exerting external force to the wafer where the deteriorated layer and the groove have been formed along the streets; and a grinding step for grinding the rear surface of the wafer which has been divided into individual devices until the final thickness of each device is achieved.