Method of producing semiconductor chip, and mask-integrated surface protective tape used therein

A mask-integrated surface protective tape used in the method of producing the semiconductor chip comprising the following steps (a) to (d),

• wherein the mask-integrated surface protective tape comprises a substrate film, a temporary-adhesive layer and a mask material layer formed on the substrate film in this order, and
• wherein an etching rate of the mask material layer by a SF6 plasma is lower than an etching rate by an oxygen plasma:
• (a) a step of, in the state of having laminated a mask-integrated surface protective tape on the side of a patterned surface of a semiconductor wafer, grinding the backing-face of the semiconductor wafer;
• laminating a wafer fixing tape on the backing-face side of the ground semiconductor wafer;
• and supporting and fixing the wafer to a ring flame;
• (b) a step of integrally peeling both the substrate film and the temporary-adhesive layer from the mask-integrated surface protective tape thereby exposing the mask material layer on top, and thereafter forming an opening by cutting a portion of the mask material layer corresponding to a street of the semiconductor wafer with a laser;
• (c) a plasma dicing step of segmentalizing the semiconductor wafer on the street by a plasma irradiation to singulate it into semiconductor chips;
• and
• (d) an ashing step of removing the mask material layer by the plasma irradiation.