Element chip isolation method using laser grooving and plasma etching

An element chip manufacturing method comprising:

• a preparation step of preparing a substrate including a plurality of element regions and a dicing region defining the element regions, the substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
• an attaching step of attaching the substrate via a die attach film to a holding sheet secured on a frame, with the die attach film facing the second surface, the die attach film being larger than the substrate, and the die attach film having a protruding region protruding from the substrate so as to surround an edge of the substrate;
• a protective film formation step of forming a protective film that covers the first surface of the substrate attached to the holding sheet;
• a laser grooving step of irradiating a laser beam to the protective film along the dicing region, to form an opening in the protective film, so that the substrate in the dicing region is exposed from the opening;
• a first etching step of exposing the substrate to a first plasma to etch the substrate exposed from the opening, so that a plurality of element chips are formed from the substrate and so that the die attach film is exposed from the opening;
• a second etching step of exposing the substrate to a second plasma to etch the die attach film exposed from the opening, so that the die attach film is split so as to correspond to the element chips;
• and
• a pickup step of detaching the element chips from the holding sheet, together with the split die attach film;
• wherein
• the laser grooving step includes a first irradiation step of irradiating the laser beam to the protective film along the dicing region and the protruding region of the die attach film, the laser beam being irradiated under conditions that remove the protective film in the dicing region and at least part of the die attach film in the protruding region, but do not remove the holding sheet corresponding to the protruding region.