Die are singulated from a wafer having a back layer by placing the wafer onto a first carrier substrate with the back layer adjacent the carrier substrate, forming singulation lines through the wafer to expose the back layer within the singulation lines, and using a plate structure to apply a pressure to the wafer to separate the back layer in the singulation lines. The pressure can be applied through the first carrier substrate proximate to the back layer, or can be applied through a second carrier substrate attached to a front side of the wafer opposite to the back layer.