Prefix letters on ICs.

[Axtman]

What do the different letters on the ICs mean?

For example:

LM3080N
TL072
NJM4558
RC4558
AS3080E
NE554
LF353
BA4560
OPA2134

[Greg Robinson]

Typically indicates the originator of the design, sometimes the particular devision of that company.
LM = National Semiconductor monolithic division
TL = Texas Instruments Linear division
NJM = New Japan Radio
RC = Raytheon
AS = Alfa Rpar
NE = Signetics
LF = National Semiconductor fet division
BA = I think Fagor was the originator of this prefix (a nod to their origins in Basque?)? Lots of buying and selling of divisions, so a wide number of companies have "inhereted" the prefix.
OPA = Burr Brown

[sugeda]

BA....Rohm