Optical device processing method

An optical device processing method for processing an optical device wafer having a plurality of optical devices formed on a front side and a plurality of crossing division lines for partitioning the optical devices, each of the optical devices having electrodes formed on the front side, the optical device processing method comprising:

• a groove forming step of forming a groove on the front side of the optical device wafer along each division line, the groove having a depth reaching a finished thickness;
• a reflective film forming step of forming a nonconductive reflective film on the front side of the optical device wafer after performing the groove forming step, thereby forming the reflective film on at least side surfaces of the groove;
• an electrode exposing step of removing the reflective film formed on the electrodes on the front side of the optical device wafer after performing the reflective film forming step, thereby exposing the electrodes;
• and
• a grinding step of grinding a back side of the optical device wafer before or after performing the electrode exposing step, thereby reducing the thickness of the optical device wafer to the finished thickness until the groove is exposed to the back side of the optical device wafer to divide the optical device wafer into individual optical device chips.