Methods for dicing a wafer is presented. The method includes providing a wafer having first and second major surfaces. The wafer is prepared with a plurality of dies on main device regions and are spaced apart from each other by dicing channels on the first major surface of the wafer. A film is provided over first or second major surface of the wafer. The film covers at least areas corresponding to the main device regions. The method also includes using the film as an etch mask and plasma etching the wafer through exposed semiconductor material of the wafer to form gaps to separate the plurality of dies on the wafer into a plurality of individual dies.