An element chip manufacturing method including: attaching a substrate via a die attach film (DAF) to a holding sheet; forming a protective film that covers the substrate; forming an opening in the protective film with a laser beam, to expose the substrate in the dicing region therefrom; exposing the substrate to a first plasma to etch the substrate exposed from the opening, so that a plurality of element chips are formed from the substrate and so that the DAF is exposed from the opening; exposing the substrate to a second plasma to etch the die attach film exposed from the opening, so that the DAF is split so as to correspond to the element chips; and detaching the element chips from the holding sheet, together with the split DAF. The DAF is larger than the substrate. The method includes irradiating the laser beam to the DAF protruding from the substrate.