Advice on removing Coherent FAP from TEC plate?

[brianpe]

I have a Coherent FAP housed in the full module with monitoring and TEC. The FAP is in pretty bad shape (emits 3W @ 30A). I have another FAP I want to swap in and reuse the TEC. I've removed most of the module but the FAP is bonded to the heat spreader with a thin sheet of indium foil and I haven't been able to separate it -- there are no gaps or spaces I can pry.

Anyone remove these? I'm considering a heat gun but don't know if that would soften things enough for prying to work unless I got it close to indium's melting point, and while the FAP is in pretty bad shape I don't really want to ruin it unless there is no other way.

Below is the whole module and the second pic is the assembly I'm trying to separate:

 

[Dusty_Lenses]

Never tried on one of these but i'd suspend the module over your bench by a half inch and start heating from the bottom of the spreader. This way it detaches the moment the indium reaches its temp and falls away. Granted it is indium and not some other higher temp alloy.

Theres always a chance that it may be a foil pad with some adhesive holding it in place, you could try soaking the base in acetone first?

 

[RedCowboy]

I just unbolt it and pry the thing off or you can hammer a razor knife blade in at the seam to separate it.

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

I just unbolt it and pry the thing off or you can hammer a razor knife blade in at the seam to separate it.

That was my first thought. Likely not "soldered".
I'd like to know an easy way to open a FAP can !

 

[RedCowboy]

The seam will split easily, just hammer a screwdriver through the top at a corner or as I did here near the middle of one edge and pry it up, it will split at the seam.

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

That's what I thought. Maybe a small drill hole at a rear corner and
pry up. Heat was my last choice. I have one with the fiber output
burned up -- my mistake :-( The bar was good and maybe I can
side pump a small NdYAG rod !! Thanks HM

It came off easier than a soup can lid !! Thanks

 

[kecked]

Bit late on this but if. You plan to use it in a coherent laser know somehow they are serialized and the laser won’t accept just any new fap. We had to have their engineer program it.