Solderless Testing for Butterfly Package Devices
Butterfly packages are commonly used for laser diodes, optical amplifiers, and other photonic and optoelectronic devices.
When these devices need to be evaluated or tested, the package leads are often soldered directly to a PCB. For expensive devices or applications where components need to be changed regularly, soldering and desoldering can make testing difficult and create the risk of damaged leads.
FlexibleTest has developed a solderless butterfly package test fixture that provides a temporary electrical connection to the device leads without requiring solder.
Protect the Device During Testing
Butterfly-packaged devices can be expensive, and their leads are not always designed for repeated soldering, desoldering, or handling.
Our test fixture allows the butterfly package to be installed and electrically connected to the test PCB while keeping the device leads intact.
This helps reduce the risk of:
- Bent or damaged leads
- Heat exposure from soldering and desoldering
- Solder contamination
- PCB damage from repeated rework
- Damage when removing or replacing devices
Once testing is complete, the device can be removed without permanently modifying the package.
Field-Replaceable and Reusable
The solderless interface also makes the fixture field serviceable.
If a device needs to be replaced, the existing butterfly package can be removed and another device installed without desoldering components or replacing the test PCB.
This makes the fixture well suited for:
- Engineering evaluation
- Device characterization
- Functional testing
- Incoming inspection
- Production testing
- Laboratory and R&D equipment
- Field-serviceable systems
The same test hardware can be used repeatedly as devices are installed and removed.
Testing 14-Pin Butterfly Packages
The 14-pin butterfly package is widely used throughout the photonics industry for devices including:
- DFB laser diodes
- Fiber-coupled laser diodes
- Tunable lasers
- Pump lasers
- Semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs)
- SLED and SLD optical sources
- Wavelength-stabilized lasers
- Other photonic and optoelectronic modules
Although electrical pinouts and package details can vary between manufacturers, the fixture can be designed around the specific mechanical and electrical requirements of the device being tested.
How the Fixture Works
The butterfly package is positioned in the fixture with its leads aligned to the solderless contact interface.
A controlled clamping mechanism establishes electrical contact between the device leads and the test PCB.
Instead of:
Butterfly Package → Solder → PCB
the test interface becomes:
Butterfly Package → Solderless Interposer → PCB
This allows the package to be connected for testing while remaining removable and replaceable.
Designed Around Your Butterfly Package
FlexibleTest can design the fixture around the specific butterfly package and customer PCB.
Depending on the application, the design can include:
- Custom lead contact geometry
- Device alignment features
- Mechanical clamping
- PCB integration
- Mounting-hole locations
- Customer-specific electrical connections
- Complete test fixture assemblies
The goal is to provide a reliable, repeatable connection while protecting the device under test.
Test Butterfly Packages Without Soldering
For applications where butterfly-packaged devices need to be evaluated, tested, replaced, or serviced, a solderless test fixture provides an alternative to permanently soldering the device into the assembly.
The device remains removable, the test hardware can be reused, and expensive butterfly package leads are protected from unnecessary soldering and rework.
Have a butterfly package that needs to be tested?
Send us the device part number, drawing, or datasheet. FlexibleTest can review the package and develop a solderless test fixture for your application.