Approach for assembling and repairing probe assemblies using laser welding

A method for fabricating a probe for a probe card assembly, the method comprising:

• removing a beam element from a beam panel by laser cutting the beam element from the beam panel by operating a vacuum capillary pickup tool in conjunction with the laser cutting of the beam element to align the laser and to remove gases and debris created by the laser cutting;
• using the vacuum capillary pickup tool to align the beam element to a post element on a probe substrate;
• using the vacuum capillary pickup tool to position the beam element in contact with the post element on the probe substrate and to align the laser with the beam element;
• and
• attaching the beam element to the post element on the probe substrate by laser welding the beam element to the post element on the probe substrate, wherein the laser welding of the beam element to the post element forms a bond that extends completely through the beam element and into the post element and wherein the vacuum capillary pickup tool removes gases and debris created by the laser welding,
• wherein the using the vacuum capillary pickup tool in conjunction with the laser welding to align the laser with the beam element and to remove gases and debris created by the laser welding includes transmitting a laser pulse through an aperture in the vacuum capillary pickup tool and providing a vacuum to remove the gases and debris through the aperture,
• wherein the steps of aligning, positioning, and attaching are performed using the vacuum capillary pickup tool in conjunction with a laser, and
• wherein the vacuum capillary tool and the laser are substantially perpendicular to the probe substrate.