Wafer processing method for dividing a
wafer (1) along multiple division lines (3) to obtain multiple individual component chips (1c), wherein the division lines (3) are formed on a front face (1a) of the
wafer (1) such that they define multiple separate areas in which multiple components (5) are individually formed, wherein the
wafer processing method comprises: a ring frame preparation step of preparing a ring frame (7) which has an inner opening (7a) for receiving the wafer (1); a
polyester film provisioning step of positioning the wafer (1) in the inner opening of the ring frame (7) and providing a
polyester film (9) on a back or front (1a) of the wafer (1) and on a back of the ring frame (7), wherein no
adhesive layer is arranged between the
polyester film (9) and the wafer (1); a joining step of heating the polyester film (9) during the application of a pressure to the polyester film (9) after performing the polyester film provisioning step, whereby the wafer (1) and the ring frame (7) are joined by thermocompression joining over the polyester film (9) to form a frame unit in a state in which the wafer (1) and the front of the ring frame (7) are exposed; a division step of positioning a focal point of a
laser beam within the wafer (1), wherein the
laser beam has a transmission
wavelength for the wafer (1), and of applying the
laser beam to the wafer (1) along each division line (3), thereby forming a modified layer in the wafer (1) along each division line (3) to divide the wafer (1) into the individual component chips (1c), after performing the
interconnection step; and a
pickup step of cooling the polyester film (9) in each of the several separate areas corresponding to a respective component
chip (1c), pushing up each component
chip (1c) through the polyester film (9) and then picking up each component
chip (1c) from the polyester film (9) after performing the division step.