Nelco N4000-13 EP SI
Dk 3.6 | Df 0.008 @ 1 GHz | Tg 210C — the Park Electrochemical legacy standard for enterprise backplane and telecom platform designs.
3.6
Dk @ 1 GHz
0.008
Df @ 1 GHz
210 C
Tg (DSC)
Legacy
Backplane
What is Nelco N4000-13 EP SI?
Nelco N4000-13 EP SI (Enhanced Performance, Signal Integrity) was developed by Park Electrochemical as a mid-loss laminate for enterprise backplane applications operating at 6.25-10 Gbps per lane. For over a decade it served as the industry standard for Cisco, Juniper, Nokia, and Ericsson platform backplanes before being superseded by Megtron-class materials.
Many legacy telecom and enterprise networking platforms remain in production or sustaining builds for 10-20 year deployment lifecycles. These platforms were designed and qualified on N4000-13 EP SI, and material substitution would require expensive requalification. AtlasPCB maintains sourcing capability for sustaining these installed-base programs.
Park Electrochemical sold its electronics division to AGC (Asahi Glass) in 2019, and production continues under AGC Nelco branding. Material specifications and availability remain unchanged for ongoing programs, though new designs typically specify newer-generation materials.
Broad Legacy Qualification
Pre-qualified on major Cisco, Juniper, Nokia backplane platforms.
High Tg 210C
Excellent reliability for thick backplane constructions (40+ layers).
10 Gbps Validated
Proven for 6.25G/10G NRZ backplane channels at standard reaches.
Sustaining Support
Continued production under AGC Nelco for installed-base programs.
Nelco N4000-13 EP SI In Production
Genuine N4000-13 EP SI backplane builds we fabricate, and the legacy platforms they sustain.
Long-format backplane on N4000-13 EP SI — Tg 210C holds up through 40+ layer thick-board lamination.
Plated through-hole detail — controlled ~40 ppm/C z-axis CTE keeps vias reliable in deep midplane stacks.
Enterprise switching and telecom chassis: N4000-13 EP SI’s Df 0.008 sustains validated 6.25G/10G NRZ channels.
Nelco N4000-13 EP SI Key Properties
Representative values from the manufacturer datasheet.
| Property | Value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Dielectric constant (Dk) | 3.6 @ 1 GHz | Mid-range for legacy high-speed digital. |
| Dissipation factor (Df) | 0.008 @ 1 GHz | Mid-loss — adequate for up to 10G NRZ. |
| Glass transition (Tg) | 210 C (DSC) | High for reliable thick backplane multilayers. |
| Decomposition temp (Td) | 380 C | Excellent thermal stability. |
| CTE z-axis | ~40 ppm/C | Controlled for thick-board via reliability. |
| Flammability | UL 94 V-0 | Full commercial compliance. |
| Layer count capability | Up to 40+ layers | Qualified for thick backplane constructions. |
| Copper compatibility | Standard HTE | Designed for standard copper profiles. |
| Current manufacturer | AGC Nelco (formerly Park) | Continued production after 2019 acquisition. |
N4000-13 EP SI in Context
N4000-13 EP SI represented the state-of-the-art in 2008-2015 when enterprise backplanes operated at 6.25G and 10G NRZ. Its Df 0.008 at 1 GHz provided adequate insertion loss margin for 30-40cm backplane traces at these data rates — the typical midplane-to-linecard distances in chassis-based networking and telecom equipment.
As data rates progressed to 25G NRZ and 56G PAM4, N4000-13's loss became inadequate for new designs. Modern platforms specify Megtron 6 or equivalent (Df 0.002) for 56G and TU-872/S7439 class (Df 0.0013) for 112G. N4000-13 continues serving sustaining builds of platforms designed during its era.
For customers maintaining legacy platforms, material continuity is essential. A backplane qualified on N4000-13 EP SI has undergone extensive signal integrity validation, thermal cycling qualification, and reliability testing. Substituting a different material — even one with better specifications — risks introducing unexpected behavior in validated channels.
Cisco Platform Standard
Qualified on multiple generations of Cisco switching platforms.
Telecom Heritage
Nokia, Ericsson legacy platform backplanes.
AGC Continued Supply
Production maintained under AGC Nelco branding.
No-Change Sustaining
Same material, same specs — production continuity for installed base.
Backplane Laminate Generation Comparison
N4000-13 EP SI in context with newer-generation alternatives.
| Material | Dk | Df | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nelco N4000-13 EP SIThis page | 3.6 | 0.008 | Legacy standard — 10G NRZ, sustaining builds. |
| Panasonic Megtron 4 | 3.4 | 0.005 | Gen 2 — 25G NRZ, some legacy platforms. |
| Panasonic Megtron 6 | 3.3 | 0.002 | Current gen — 56G PAM4, new designs. |
| TUC TU-768 | 3.3 | 0.0025 | Modern mid-tier — 56G, cost-effective. |
| TUC TU-872 SLK | 3.0 | 0.0013 | Next gen — 112G, ultra-low-loss. |
Nelco N4000-13 EP SI Applications
Legacy backplane redesigns, telecom platform maintenance, enterprise networking sustaining, long-lifecycle equipment
Legacy Backplanes
Sustaining builds for 10G-era switching and routing platforms.
Telecom Midplanes
Ericsson and Nokia legacy BTS and core network chassis.
Enterprise Computing
Server platform backplanes designed in 2010-2015 era.
Industrial Controls
Long-lifecycle industrial and defense computing platforms.
Defense Sustaining
Military computing platforms with 20+ year production lifecycles.
Broadcast Equipment
Video routing and broadcast switching chassis.
N4000-13 EP SI — Sustaining Design Notes
For sustaining builds, do not modify the validated stackup or material specification. Any change — even to a better material — requires signal integrity revalidation and may alter impedance, propagation delay, and crosstalk characteristics that the system was tuned for.
If redesigning a legacy N4000-13 platform for higher speeds, consider migrating to Megtron 6 or TU-768 class materials. The redesign should include full channel simulation at the target data rate, as N4000-13 loss models may not extrapolate accurately to 25G+ frequencies.
Get Instant QuoteNo Substitution
Do not change material on validated platforms without requalification.
Sustaining Priority
Maintain exact material spec for production continuity.
Migration Path
For speed upgrades, move to Megtron 6 or TU-768 with full resimulation.
AGC Documentation
Request current datasheets from AGC Nelco for any specification questions.
Genuine Nelco N4000-13 EP SI, Verified on Every Order
Material CoC
Certificate of Conformance with lot number ships with every order.
Stock Verified
We confirm laminate availability before order confirmation.
No Substitutions
Specified material guaranteed — never swapped without written approval.
FAQ
Nelco N4000-13 EP SI Questions
What is Nelco N4000-13 EP SI?
A mid-loss laminate (Dk 3.6, Df 0.008) developed by Park Electrochemical for enterprise backplane applications operating at 6.25-10 Gbps NRZ. Now manufactured by AGC Nelco.
Is N4000-13 still available?
Yes. AGC Nelco continues production for sustaining programs. Lead times may be longer than commodity materials — order with adequate planning.
Should I use N4000-13 for new designs?
Generally no. Modern alternatives (Megtron 6, TU-768) offer dramatically better performance at competitive cost. N4000-13 is appropriate only for sustaining existing qualified platforms.
What replaced N4000-13 EP SI?
Megtron 4 (Df 0.005) for 25G, Megtron 6 (Df 0.002) for 56G, and TU-872 SLK/S7439 (Df 0.0013) for 112G applications represent successive generations.
Can AtlasPCB source N4000-13?
Yes. We maintain AGC Nelco supply relationships for sustaining builds. Contact us for current lead time and minimum order quantities.
Need N4000-13 EP SI for sustaining builds?
Nelco N4000-13 EP SI — legacy backplane standard, continued AGC supply — for platform sustaining and maintenance.
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