Importance

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Abstract

A method of processing a wafer includes holding the wafer on a chuck table while exposing a reverse side of the wafer, grinding the reverse side of the wafer with a grinding wheel that has an annular array of grindstones and that is smaller in diameter than the wafer, while positioning the grinding wheel radially inwardly of an excessive outer circumferential region, thereby grinding the effective region to a predetermined thickness to leave the excessive outer circumferential region as a ring-shaped ridge, before or after the grinding step, forming separation initiating points in the wafer for separating the excessive outer circumferential region from the effective region, and applying external forces to the ring-shaped ridge of the wafer in which the separation initiating points have been formed, to remove a chamfered edge together with the excessive outer circumferential region from the wafer.

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First Claim