PURPOSE: To apply pressure to semiconductor wafer uniformly and reduce the generation of fragments at the time of dividing by fixing by press bonding the surface of an organic film on the rear surface of a semiconductor wafer with cuts, retaining the peripheral edge of the organic film and lowering the air pressure on the surface side of the organic film from the rear surface side.
CONSTITUTION: The surface of an organic film 3 is fixed by pressure onto the rear surface of semiconductors wafer 2 with cuts 1 for dicing by scribing, dicing or the like, and putting the semiconductor wafer 2 with the surface side facing to said air vent side into a chamber 4 having the vent for the semiconductor wafer 2, and the peripheral edge of the organic film 3 is sealed while retained with the side walls of the chamber 4. Then, the air inside of the chamber 4 is discharged out of the vent, and semiconductor wafer 2 is divided along the custs 1 by utilizing deflection generated by the pressure difference between the surface and the rear of the organic film 3.