Device Nomenclature


- European Nomenclature

- Japanese Nomenclature


The Part number is an essential part of the device identification process. Depending on where the parts are made the part numbers will mean something different. For example, The European nomencalature is different fron the Japanese nomenclature which is different from the North American nomenclature. Parts of each of these nomenclatures means something different. They represent information that is important to the way the device is used. For example, what matierial the device is made out of, applications it can be used for, and a series of number that distinguish that part from all others so one can find device specifications and parts that may be compatible with the part that is being looked up.


European Semiconductor Numbering System

               BFR90
               || | Third, Fourth, Fith Character(Serial Code)
               ||   Y##  Industrial service (No letter Z)
               ||   ## is a W## Registration number from 10_99
               ||   100- Device for consumer or entertainment 
               ||   999  use.
               ||
               ||
First letter---||----Second Leter(Type)]
(Material)
A Germanium                A Low Power diode,
                             voltage-variable capacitor
  
B Silicon                  B Varicap

C Compound Materials       C Small-signal audio transistor
  such as cadmium
  sulfide or gallium
  arsenide used in 
  semiconductor devices.
  (energy gap band of
  1.3 or more eV.)

D Materials with an        D Audio power transistor
  energy gap of less 
  than 0.6 eV such as
  Indium antimonide.

R Radiation detectors,     E tunnel diode
  photo-conductive cells,
  Hall-effect generators
  and so on
                           F Small-signal RF transistor
                           
                           G Miscellaneous       

                           H Field Probe
                           
                           K Hall Generator

                           L RF-Power transistor

                           M Hall modulators and multipliers
 
                           P Photo diode, photo-resistor
                             ,photo-conductive cell(LDR),
                             Radiation device.

                           R Low-power controlled rectifier
 
                           S Low-power switching transistor
 
                           T Breakdown devices,high-power 
                             controlled rectifier,Schottky
                             diode, Thyristor,pnpn diodes.
                        
                           U High-powered switching transistor

                           X Multiplier diode

                           Y High-power rectifier(diode)
 
                           Z Zener diode


Japanese Nomenclature



                  i   ii   iii    iv    v
                  2   S     C     82D   A

i) Kind of device, indicating the number of effective 
   electrical connections minus one.

ii) For a semiconductor registered with the EIAJ this
   letter is always an S.

iii) Third letter designates the polarity and application, as follows:
  
  A PNP transistor, high-frequency
  B PNP transistor, low-frequency
  C NPN transistor, high-frequency
  D NPN transistor, low-frequency
  E P-gate thyristor
  F N-gate thyristor
  H N-base unijunction transistor
  J P-channel FET
  K N-channel FET
  M Bi-directional triode thyristor

iv) These figures designate the order of application
    for EIAj registration, starting with 11.

v) This letter indicates the level of improvement. 
   An improved device may be used in place of
   a previous-generation device , but not necessarily
   the other way around.