Board-Stacking Header for Tight Z-Budgets
The Hirose DF12E(4.0)-36DP-0.5V(81) is a 36-position, 0.50mm-pitch mezzanine header from the DF12 series, designed for parallel board-to-board stacking at a fixed 4mm mated height. Its outer shroud contacts and dual-row layout suit dense digital signal interconnects where board spacing is at a premium — think handheld devices, camera modules, or embedded computing stacks. The 0.50mm pitch drives the PCB footprint: trace routing between pads requires a controlled impedance stack-up and fine-line capability, typical of high-density interconnect designs.
Why the 4mm Stack Height Matters
At 4mm mated stack height, this header fits between boards with a tighter Z-axis envelope than the 5mm and 6mm variants in the same DF12E family. The 0.50mm pitch is consistent across the DF12E series, so a layout designed for the 36-position version accepts the 20- or 50-position sibling at the same stack height without a board respin.
Mating and Termination Check
Surface-mount termination means the connector reflows with the board — no through-hole posts, so alignment during placement is critical.