Device Marking Conventions
National Semiconductor marks devices sold in order to pro-
vide device identification and manufacturing traceablility in-
formation. The method of presenting the information marked
on the device is dependent on the size of the device package
and the area available for marking, as well as the nature and
specifications of the device.
The information presented here describes the majority of the
device markings a customer will observe. Specific package
marking for a given device is given in the datasheet for that
device. A package may have up to four lines of marking. The
following information is usually contained in each line.
First line: Manufacturing information
Company logo
Wafer and/or assembly plant codes (optional) (see Table
1and Table 2)
Date code (see Table 4,Table 5, and Table 6)
Die run (wafer lot) code
Second Line: Device part number
Device family (see Table 7)
Device type
Options
Package code (see Table 8)
Third or fourth line: Optional, depending on device, package
size, and customer
Continuation of device identification (if too long for the
second line)
“Stampoff” number as required by specific customer re-
quest and specification
Notice(s) related to copyright or trademarks
Very small packages, such as SOT-23, SOT-223, SC70, and
SC90, are too small to contain all the information discussed
above. Device identification marking is assigned differently,
consisting of a four-character code:
Device type (see Table 10)
Device identification code
Grade
These small packages also have a date code mark on the
underside of the package. This is a one-character alpha
code that represents a particular 6-week period during a
3-year span.
The specific marking for a given device can be found in the
device datasheet. Other date code information, which would
be typically found in the “first line” marking, is identified on
the container labels.
Figure 1,Figure 2, and Figure 3 show the typical arrange-
ment of marking on large, medium, and very small pack-
ages. Codes that are most often used in the device marking
are listed in the following tables. For chip scale packaged
devices and all other recent updates, please refer to
www.national.com/packaging.
10112801
FIGURE 1. Marking Convention for Larger Packages
10112802
FIGURE 2. Marking Convention for Smaller Packages
10112803
FIGURE 3. Marking Convention for Very Small
Packages
July 2005
Device Marking Conventions
© 2005 National Semiconductor Corporation MS101128 www.national.com
Wafer Fab and Assembly Plant
Codes
Table 1 lists single-letter codes for National Semiconductor’s
wafer fabrication plants. Letters that are not in this list indi-
cate wafer fabrication at one of National Semiconductor’s
approved sub-contractors.
TABLE 1. Wafer Fab Plant Code
Code Fab Location
E Arlington, TX
J Greenock, UK
R Santa Clara, CA
V South Portland, ME
X Arlington, TX
0 Multiple Fab Origin
1 USA (Sub-con)
2 Taiwan (Sub-con)
3 USA (Sub-con)
8 Singapore (Sub-con)
M USA (Sub-con)
N Israel (Sub-con)
P China (Sub-con)
W Japan (Sub-con)
Z USA (Sub-con)
Table 2 lists single-letter codes for National Semiconductor’s
device assembly plants. Letters that are not in this list indi-
cate device assembly at another of National Semiconduc-
tor’s approved sub-contractors see Table 3.
TABLE 2. Assembly Plant Code NSC Assembly Sites
Code Assembly Location
F Santa Clara, CA
C China
M Malacca, Malaysia
S Singapore
TABLE 3. Assembly Plant Code Sub-Contractors
Code Assembly Location
B Thailand
E Korea
H Philippines
J Japan
K Hong Kong
N Malaysia
P Malaysia
R Malaysia
T Taiwan
U China
V Malaysia
X USA
Y Malaysia
Date of Manufacture Codes
Marks indicating the date of manufacture occur in four, three,
two, or one digit versions. The date code represents a six-
week period in which the device was assembled. The one-
digit code is an alpha code for the very small packages, such
as SOT, SC70, and SC90, and ranges from A to Z plus the
character @, representing a 6-week period during a 3-year
span. For the four, three, and two digit codes, the allocation
of digits between year and week information in each scheme
is summarized in Table 4:
TABLE 4. Year Code
Version Year Digits Week Range
Digits
Four-digit (YYWW) 2 2
Three-digit (YWW) 1 2
Two-digit (YW) 1 1
Year: The year code is the last one or two digits of the
calendar year of manufacture. For example, a device manu-
factured in 1999 would have a one-digit code of “9” or a
two-digit code of “99”.
Week: The week code is based on the starting calendar
week of the six-week period during which the device was
assembled. Table 5 summarizes the six-week date code
schedule for one- and two-digit codes.
TABLE 5. Six-Week Period Code
Six-Week Period Two-Digit
Code
One-Digit
Code
From Week To Week
52 05 52 9
06 11 06 1
12 17 12 2
18 23 18 3
24 29 24 4
30 35 30 5
36 41 36 6
42 47 42 7
48 51 48 8
Some example date codes are shown in Table 6:
TABLE 6. Date Code Examples
Date of Manufacture 4-Digit
Code
3-Digit
Code
2-Digit
Code
Calendar week 48, 1999 9948 948 98
Calendar week 6, 2000 0006 006 01
Calendar week 14, 2000 0012 012 02
Calendar week 32, 2001 0130 130 15
Device Marking Conventions
www.national.com 2
Die Run (Wafer Lot) Codes
The die run code is a two letter alpha code, ranging from AB
through ZZ for each device, that is automatically assigned to
each lot by an internal manufacturing system. When the date
code is combined with the die run code, a unique identifier is
created. In case of any problems with a device, this identifi-
cation facilitates backward traceability to manufacturing pro-
cesses where containment and corrective actions can be
defined. These actions, in turn, minimize, and eventually
eliminate, any negative impact on customers.
Device Family and Package Codes
TABLE 7. Device Family
ADC, ADCV Data Conversion
CLC Comlinear Products
COP Control Oriented Processor
DAC Data Conversion
DS, DSV Interface Products
FPD Flat Panel Devices
LF Linear (Bi-FET)
LM Linear (Monolithic)
LMC Linear CMOS
LMD Linear DMOS
LMF, MF Linear Monolithic Filter
LMH Linear Monolithic High Speed
LMS Linear Second Source
LMV Linear Low Voltage
LMX Wireless
LP Linear Low Power
LPC Linear CMOS (Low Power)
LPV Linear Low Power, Low Voltage
SC Digital Cordless Telephony
SCAN JTAG Products
TP Telecom Products
TABLE 8. Package Type
BP Micro Surface-Mount Device
(MicroSMD)
D, DA, DH Ceramic Sidebrazed Dual-In-Line
Package
DT, TD Molded D-Pak (TO-252)
EA, E Ceramic Leaded Chip Carrier (LCC)
EL Ceramic Quad Flatpack (CQFP,
CQJB)
H, HA 3-Lead Metal Can (TO-46,TO-39)
J, JA Ceramic Dual-In-Line Package
(CerDIP)
K, KA, KC, KS TO-3 Metal Can (Steel)
LD, LQ, LQA Leadless Leadframe Package (LLP)
M, MA Molded Small Outline Package (SO,
SOT)
M3, M5, M6, MF Molded Small Outline Package
(SOT-23)
M7, MG SC70
MB, MBH, MBS,
MDA, MDB
Thin Small Outline Package (TSOP)
MC Ceramic Small Outline Package
(CSOP)
MEA, MEB,
MEC, MED, MQ,
MQA, MS, MSA,
MSC
Molded Shrink Small Outline Package
(SSOP)
MH, MXP TSSOP with exposed pad
MJ Molded surface mount with J-bend
(SOJ)
MM Miniature Molded Small Outline
Package (MSOP, Mini SO)
MP Molded Small Outline Package
(SOT-223)
MTB, MTC,
MTD, MTE
Molded Thin Shrink Small Outline
Package (TSSOP)
MW, WM Wide Body Molded Small Outline
Package (SO, SOT)
MWA Power Small Outline Package (PSOP)
N, NA Molded Dual-In-Line Package (DIP)
P, PA, TB Molded TO-202 Power Package
S, TS Molded Power Surface Mount
Package (TO-263)
SL, SLB Chip Scale Packaging (CSP) Laminate
SM, SLC Ball Grid Array (BGA)
T, TA Molded TO-220 Power Package
TF Molded TO-220 Power Package With
Isolated Tab
U, UA, UC Ball Grid Array (BGA)
U, UE Ceramic Pin Grid Array (CPGA)
UP Plastic Pin Grid Array (PPGA)
V, VA 28 & 44-Lead Molded Plastic Leaded
Chip Carrier (PLCC)
V, VV, VW, VY Leaded Quad Flat Pack (LQFP)
VC, VD, VE, VF,
VH, VI, VJ, VK,
VM, VN, VO, VP
Molded Plastic Quad Flat Package
(PQFP)
VS, VT, VU Molded Plastic Thin Quad Flat
Package (TQFP)
W, WA Ceramic Flatpack
W, WQ Ceramic Quad Flatpak
WG Ceramic Small Outline Package and
Quad Flatpak with Gullwing Lead
Form
YA TQFP with exposed pad
Z, ZA,R Molded 3-Lead Transistor Package
(TO-92)
Device Marking Conventions
www.national.com3
Device Family and Package Codes
(Continued)
TABLE 9. Package Type CLC Products
E Molded Small Outline Package (SO,
SOT)
Q Molded Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier
(PLCC)
Small Surface-Mount Package
Marking
For packages such as SOT23 (3-, 5-, and 6-lead), SOT223,
and MSOP, there is insufficient space to mark the entire part
number, so a four-character code is used instead. The first
character represents the device type (see Table 10). The
second two characters are a code relating to the device part
number and options. The fourth character relates to device
performance grade. This four-character “top mark” is usually
fully specified in the device datasheet, for all options and
grades of the product.
TABLE 10. Device Type Code
A Amplifier
B Buffer
C Comparator
D Driver
H Comlinear
L Low-Dropout Linear Regulator
R Voltage Reference
S Switched-Capacitor Voltage Converter
T Temperature Sensor
Z Audio
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the right at any time without notice to change said circuitry and specifications.
For the most current product information visit us at www.national.com.
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CORPORATION. As used herein:
1. Life support devices or systems are devices or systems
which, (a) are intended for surgical implant into the body, or
(b) support or sustain life, and whose failure to perform when
properly used in accordance with instructions for use
provided in the labeling, can be reasonably expected to result
in a significant injury to the user.
2. A critical component is any component of a life support
device or system whose failure to perform can be reasonably
expected to cause the failure of the life support device or
system, or to affect its safety or effectiveness.
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Device Marking Conventions