Dicing methods

Abstract

A method for breaking a substantially planar workpiece having first and second major surfaces, with a metallization layer on the first major surface, comprises the steps of: i) forming a groove in the workpiece extending parallel to the plane, the groove being open at an upper surface of the workpiece, and then subsequently ii) applying a workpiece breaking force to the first major surface of the workpiece to crack the workpiece along a break line coincident with the groove, then iii) applying a metallization breaking force to the second major surface of the workpiece to break the metallization layer along the break line.