Method for dicing semiconductor substrate

1. A method for processing a wafer comprising:

dividing the wafer into multiple chips; and covering a sidewall of each chip with a protection member for protecting the chip from being contaminated by a dust from a dicing surface of the wafer;

forming a reforming portion in the wafer along with a cutting line of the wafer in such a manner that a laser beam is focused on a predetermined position in the wafer to form the reforming portion around the predetermined position in the wafer by multiple photo absorption effect of the laser beam; and

forming the protection member on a part of the wafer, which covers the cutting line, wherein

in the dividing the wafer, the wafer is cleaved from the reforming portion as a starting point so that the wafer is divided along with the cutting line,

in the dividing the wafer, the protection member on the part of the wafer is melted, and

in the covering the sidewall of each chip, the melted protection member spreads on the dicing surface of the wafer so that the protection member covers the sidewall of the chip.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising forming a concavity on the part of the wafer, on which the protection member is formed, wherein in the forming of the protection member, the protection member is formed in the concavity so that the protection member is accommodated in the concavity.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising forming a groove on the wafer, wherein

the groove is in parallel to the part of the wafer, on which the protection member is formed, and

the groove is capable of accommodating the protection member when the melted protection member spreads on the wafer.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the wafer is a semiconductor wafer.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in the dividing the wafer, a pressure is applied to the protection member.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

bonding a backside of the wafer to a dicing film; and

mounting the wafer with the dicing film on a dicing stage, wherein

the dicing film has expansibility and air permeability,

the dicing stage has air permeability,

in the dividing of the wafer, a tensile stress is applied to the wafer so that the wafer is cleaved from the reforming portion, and

in the dividing of the wafer, a suction force is applied to the wafer through the dicing film along with the cutting line from the backside of the wafer.

7. A method for dicing a wafer comprising:

bonding a dicing film on the plate object, wherein

the dicing film is capable of adhering to the plate object, which is to be separated into a plurality of chips,

the dicing film is capable of holding the chips thereon after the plate object is separated into the chips; and

a first through hole is disposed in a part of the dicing film that corresponds to the plate object;

irradiating a laser beam on the plate object along with a cutting line of the plate object so that a reforming portion is formed in the plate object by multiple photo absorption effect of the laser beam;

cutting the plate object from the reforming portion as a starting point of cutting; and

discharging a particle generated from a cut surface of the plate object through the first through hole of the dicing film so that the particle is discharged toward a backside of the dicing film, wherein the backside of the dicing film faces away from the plate object.

8. A method for dicing a wafer comprising:

bonding a dicing film on a plate object, wherein

the dicing film is capable of adhering to the plate object, which is to be separated into a plurality of chips,

the dicing film is capable of holding the chips thereon after the plate object is separated into the chips;

a first through hole is disposed in a part of the dicing film that corresponds to the plate object; and

a second through hole disposed in another part of the dicing film that corresponds to an outside of the plate object;

irradiating a laser beam on the plate object along with a cutting line of the plate object so that a reforming portion is formed in the plate object by multiple photo absorption effect of the laser beam;

cutting the plate object from the reforming portion as a starting point of cutting; and

discharging a particle generated by irradiation of the laser beam in the irradiating the laser beam through the first and/or second through holes of the dicing film so that the particle is discharged toward a backside of the dicing film, wherein the backside of the dicing film faces away from the plate object.

9. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising: discharging another particle generated from a cut surface of the plate object through the first through hole of the dicing film so that the another particle is discharged toward the backside of the dicing film.

10. A method for dicing a semiconductor substrate into a plurality of chips, the method comprising:

bonding a semiconductor substrate on a dicing film;

irradiating a laser beam on the substrate in order to form a reforming portion in the substrate; and

expanding the substrate through the dicing film in order to divide the substrate into the chips, wherein

in the expanding the substrate, the dicing film is mounted on an expand device in such a manner that the substrate on the dicing film is disposed downward in order to cause a particle to fall downward freely,

the particle is derived from a dicing surface of the substrate,

the expand device includes a spacer, and the spacer is movable up and down so that the spacer pushes up a part of the dicing film in order to expand the dicing film,

the part of the dicing film is disposed around the substrate,

the spacer has a cylindrical columnar shape, and

the spacer includes a concavity for surrounding the substrate.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising generating an airflow from a surface of the substrate to a downside of the spacer.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein

the spacer further includes a plurality of grooves or holes, which is disposed on a part of the spacer near the substrate,

the part of the spacer is a sidewall of the concavity of the spacer,

the concavity of the spacer includes a bottom with an air passage, and

the air passage is disposed on the bottom so that the air flows from the concavity to an outside of the spacer.

13. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the dicing film is made of porous material.

14. The device according to claim 11 , wherein the dicing film includes a plurality of through holes.