Methods of dicing substrates having a plurality of ICs. A method includes forming a mask comprising a water soluble material layer over the semiconductor substrate. The mask is patterned with a femtosecond laser scribing process to provide a patterned mask with gaps. The patterning exposes regions of the substrate between the ICs. The substrate is then etched through the gaps in the patterned mask to singulate the IC and the water soluble material layer washed off.