An LQFP-208 package is a 208-lead gull-wing plastic package on a 28 × 28 mm body with 0.5 mm pitch and a 1.4 mm nominal thickness, registered as JEDEC MS-026 variant BJB. Fifty-two leads sit on each side and the lead tips span 30 mm. Before you place a footprint, check whether your 208-lead part is this package or the 3.4 mm quad flat pack that shares the lead count and does not share the land pattern.

Key takeaways

• The body measures 28.10 mm max and the lead tips span 30.10 mm max, per JEDEC MS-026 BJB.
• Fifty-two leads per side. Corner leads land at pins 1, 52, 53, 104, 105, 156, 157 and 208.
• A nominal-density land pattern comes out near 0.30 mm × 1.55 mm pads on a 30.80 mm outer span.
• Mold protrusion of 0.25 mm per side is allowed on top of the body dimension. Your keepout is not 28.10 mm.
• Most 208-lead FPGAs and CPLDs are 3.4 mm PQFP, not 1.4 mm LQFP, and the lead spans differ by about 0.6 mm.
• Cirrus Logic measured 39 °C/W for a 208-lead LQFP against 34 °C/W for the same lead count in a 3.5 mm body.

What is an LQFP-208 package?

LQFP-208 is a 208-lead low-profile quad flat package with gull-wing leads on all four sides, 52 leads per side, a 28 × 28 mm body and 0.5 mm lead pitch. Body thickness is 1.4 mm nominal with a 1.60 mm maximum overall height. JEDEC registers it under MS-026, variant BJB.

NXP catalogs the same package as SOT459-2, described as a 208-terminal plastic low-profile quad flat package, 0.5 mm pitch, 28 × 28 × 1.4 mm body, with package drawing 98ASS23458W issued 11 June 2017. ST uses the internal package code UH across the STM32F7 and STM32H7 datasheets.

[IMAGE 1: top and side view of a 208-lead LQFP with body, lead span and standoff called out | alt: “LQFP-208 package outline showing 28 mm body and 30 mm lead span”]

LQFP-208 dimensions

The table below comes from drawing Q208.28x28A Rev 0, which states compliance with JEDEC MS-026 BJB Issue C. Millimeter is the controlling dimension.

Symbol	Dimension	Min	Max
A	Overall height		1.60 mm
A1	Standoff	0.05 mm	0.15 mm
A2	Body thickness	1.35 mm	1.45 mm
B	Lead width	0.17 mm	0.27 mm
B1	Lead width at base	0.17 mm	0.23 mm
c	Lead thickness with plating	0.09 mm	0.20 mm
c	Lead thickness, base metal	0.09 mm	0.16 mm
D, E	Lead span	29.90 mm	30.10 mm
D1, E1	Body size	27.90 mm	28.10 mm
L	Lead foot length	0.45 mm	0.75 mm
e	Lead pitch	0.50 mm BSC
N	Terminal positions	208

Lead form angle runs 0° to 7°, coplanarity is 0.08 mm, and each lead centerline sits within 0.07 mm of true position at maximum material condition. Cirrus Logic’s outline for the same package allows a wider lead span of 29.60 to 30.40 mm, so a footprint built to the tighter Renesas tolerance will still accept parts built to the looser one.

The allowances the drawing hides

Two notes on the drawing change your keepout, and neither appears in the dimension table.

Mold protrusion. Body dimensions D1 and E1 exclude mold protrusion, and the drawing permits 0.25 mm per side. A body specified at 28.10 mm max can therefore measure 28.60 mm across the mold flash. Size the silkscreen and any adjacent component keepout to 28.60 mm, not 28.10 mm.

Dambar protrusion. Lead width B excludes dambar protrusion, with 0.08 mm total allowed in excess of B at maximum material condition. Worst-case lead width becomes roughly 0.35 mm against a 0.30 mm pad. That is intended: at 0.5 mm pitch the pad is deliberately narrower than the worst-case lead, and the fillet forms on the sides of the foot rather than beyond it.

Cirrus Logic’s outline adds a third note that matters for optical inspection. The package top may be up to 0.20 mm smaller than the bottom, so an AOI recipe keyed to the top face under-measures the body.

LQFP-208 pinout

The package fixes geometry, not function. There is no generic LQFP-208 pinout, and every pin assignment belongs to a specific device.

What the package does fix:

• Fifty-two leads per side, four sides, 208 total.
• Pin 1 sits at a corner, identified by an ink dot or a molded dimple.
• Numbering runs counter-clockwise viewed from the top.
• Corner leads therefore fall at pins 1, 52, 53, 104, 105, 156, 157 and 208.
• Lead 1 through lead 52 occupy 25.50 mm of the 28 mm edge, leaving roughly 1.25 mm of body at each corner.

[IMAGE 2: pin numbering diagram with corner pin numbers labelled | alt: “LQFP-208 pinout numbering with 52 pins per side and corner pins 1, 52, 53, 104”]

Build the schematic symbol from the device’s pin-function table rather than from the pinout drawing, then diff the two. On a 208-lead part a single transposed pin costs a board spin, and pinout figures in production datasheets do carry errors.

LQFP-208 footprint and land pattern

Derive the pattern from the tolerance table. IPC-7351B builds each pad from the lead extremes plus toe, heel and side fillet goals; at Level N, the nominal density used for standard reflow production, the toe and heel goals are 0.35 mm each.

Worked calculation, Level N:

• Outer pad edge = lead span max ÷ 2 + toe = 30.10 ÷ 2 + 0.35 = 15.40 mm from centre
• Inner pad edge = (lead span min ÷ 2 − L max) − heel = (14.95 − 0.75) − 0.35 = 13.85 mm from centre
• Pad length = 15.40 − 13.85 = 1.55 mm
• Pad width, side goals reduced for fine pitch = 0.30 mm
• Courtyard = 30.80 mm outer span + 0.25 mm per side = 31.30 mm square

Parameter	Value	Cross-check
Pad width	0.30 mm	Holtek specifies 0.30 mm for the 208-lead 28 × 28 body at 0.5 mm pitch
Pad length	1.55 mm	Holtek uses 1.65 mm
Pad span, outer to outer	30.80 mm	Holtek gives 30.0 mm BSC for the same package
Copper gap between pads	0.20 mm	Sets bridging risk
Courtyard	31.30 mm square	Level N excess of 0.25 mm per side
Board area consumed	approx. 980 mm²	Roughly 31% more than a 176-lead LQFP courtyard

Carry that last row into the package decision. Going from 176 to 208 leads buys 18% more I/O for 31% more board area, because the body grows in two dimensions while the lead count grows on a perimeter.

Three practical consequences of the 0.20 mm copper gap:

Solder mask. A mask web between pads needs roughly 0.10 mm to survive fabrication, and registration tolerance is typically ±0.05 mm. Confirm the capability with your fabricator before specifying dams, and open the mask across the row otherwise.

Stencil. Hold apertures at pad size or slightly narrower. Across 52-lead rows, widened apertures produce bridges faster than they produce fillets.

Escape routing. A 0.10 mm trace between two pads leaves 0.05 mm to each. Most shops will not run that at standard class, so inner ranks escape through vias. On a 208-lead device that is a layer-count decision, not a routing detail.

[IMAGE 3: land pattern drawing with pad dimensions and courtyard boundary | alt: “LQFP-208 footprint land pattern with 0.30 mm by 1.55 mm pads on 0.5 mm pitch”]

LQFP-208 against PQFP-208

This is where 208-lead designs go wrong, and it matters most in FPGA work. The 208-lead quad flat pack exists in two body thicknesses on the same 28 mm footprint family, and they are not interchangeable.

Attribute	LQFP-208	PQFP / MQFP-208
Body	28 × 28 × 1.4 mm	28 × 28 × 3.4 to 3.5 mm
Overall height	1.60 mm max	4.07 mm max
Lead pitch	0.50 mm	0.50 mm
Lead span	29.90 to 30.10 mm	30.35 to 30.85 mm
Lead foot length	0.45 to 0.75 mm	0.40 to 0.75 mm
Typical hosts	STM32F7/H7, NXP LPC1850, NXP SPC564x	Xilinx Spartan-II PQ208, Altera Cyclone II EP2C8Q208, Lattice CPLDs

The lead spans differ by roughly 0.6 mm, which puts the pads about 0.3 mm further out per side on the thicker package. A footprint drawn for one will not seat the other correctly. Distributor listings confirm the height gap: RS lists the Xilinx XC2S200-5PQG208C at 28 × 28 × 3.4 mm and the Altera EP2C8Q208C8N at the same 3.4 mm.

Cirrus Logic’s package taxonomy draws the line by body thickness: TQFP covers 0.80 to under 1.40 mm, LQFP covers 1.40 to 2.0 mm, and MQFP covers 2.10 to 3.50 mm. Note the top of the LQFP range. A 256-lead part on the same 28 mm body is still called LQFP at a 2.00 mm body, so “LQFP” alone does not guarantee 1.4 mm either.

Treat distributor parametric fields with suspicion here. One large distributor’s listing for the ST STM32F767BIT6, a 208-lead LQFP part, shows a body length of 24.1 mm, which is the 176-lead dimension.

Thermal and electrical numbers

Cirrus Logic’s Package Information Guide v5.0, June 2001, is the only public source measuring the same lead count in both bodies. Values are for a 6.5 × 6.5 mm die in still air, 50% board metallization, TA of 70 °C and TJ of 125 °C. Lead-frame materials have moved on since 2001, so read these as a comparison rather than a spec.

Package	θJA	θJC	Lead inductance	Lead resistance
208-lead LQFP, 28 × 28 × 1.40 mm	39 °C/W	13 °C/W	8 to 12 nH	< 50 mΩ
208-lead MQFP, 28 × 28 × 3.50 mm	34 °C/W	9 °C/W	12 to 20 nH	< 125 mΩ
208-lead MQFP with heat spreader	27 °C/W	9 °C/W	10 to 15 nH	< 125 mΩ
176-lead LQFP, 24 × 24 × 1.40 mm	40 °C/W	10 to 15 °C/W	8 to 11 nH	< 75 mΩ

The trade runs both ways, which is why the choice is a real one. The thicker body carries heat better, by about 13% on θJA and considerably more on θJC. The thin body carries signals better, with roughly 40% less lead inductance and a quarter of the lead resistance. For a switching-heavy FPGA I/O bank that inductance difference shows up in ground bounce; for a device dissipating over a watt the thermal difference shows up in junction temperature.

The same guide gives the die envelope the 208-lead LQFP accepts: up to an 11.0 × 11.0 mm die, with a 10.48 × 10.48 mm bond-pad limit. That ceiling is why high-I/O silicon migrated to BGA rather than to larger quad flat packages.

Moisture, trays and handling

Treat a 28 mm plastic body as moisture sensitive and confirm the level on the dry-bag label. Under J-STD-033, MSL 3 allows 168 h of floor life at 30 °C and 60% RH after the bag is opened, then a bake. Peak reflow classification for a body under 2.5 mm thick is 260 °C under IPC/JEDEC J-STD-020, and the profile’s peak package temperature must stay at or below that classification temperature.

LQFP-208 ships in JEDEC trays, not tape and reel. The 28 × 28 × 1.40 mm body tray measures roughly 322.6 × 135.9 mm with pin 1 in the bottom-left corner when the tray chamfer is bottom-left. Cirrus specifies that trays must not see more than 125 °C for 24 hours, which constrains bake temperature unless you transfer to bakeable trays first.

Coplanarity decides yield on this package. The drawing holds all 208 leads within 0.08 mm of the seating plane. One lifted corner lead produces an open that visual inspection misses. Handle tray stacks flat, never sideways, and reject damaged parts rather than straightening leads.

Who ships LQFP-208

Manufacturer	Designation	Representative devices	Notes
STMicroelectronics	LQFP208, package code UH	STM32F745, F756, F767, F777, H743, H753	Active, widely stocked
NXP	SOT459-2, drawing 98ASS23458W	LPC1850 series, SPC5645/SPC5646 automotive MCUs	Automotive grades to −40/+125 °C
Renesas	Q208.28x28A, package QLG	Legacy Intersil and Renesas devices	Drawing states MS-026 BJB Issue C
Cirrus Logic	208-pin LQFP 28 × 28 × 1.40 mm	Legacy audio and logic devices	Source of the 2001 thermal data
Xilinx, Altera, Lattice	PQ208, Q208, 208-PQFP	Spartan-II, Cyclone II, LC5512MV	3.4 mm bodies, most now obsolete or mature

Availability splits by vintage. The ST and NXP microcontroller parts are current and stocked; RS lists the STM32F767BIT6 at a 1.05 W maximum power dissipation. The FPGA and CPLD parts in this body are mostly end-of-life, with DigiKey showing the Lattice LC5512MV-75QN208I as obsolete. If your design targets a 208-lead programmable device, treat lifecycle as the first gate, not the package.

Five mistakes that cause board spins

1. Assuming your 208-lead part is 1.4 mm. Check the height. FPGAs and CPLDs in this lead count are usually 3.4 mm, with a lead span 0.6 mm wider.
2. Drawing the keepout to 28.10 mm. Mold protrusion adds up to 0.25 mm per side, so the real envelope is 28.60 mm.
3. Sizing pads from the coarse-pitch formula. It yields roughly 0.38 mm, which leaves a 0.12 mm gap at 0.5 mm pitch and bridges across 52-lead rows.
4. Trusting a distributor parametric field. At least one lists a 208-lead LQFP part with a 24.1 mm body.
5. Baking parts in their shipping trays. Standard JEDEC trays are rated to 125 °C for 24 h at most; a 125 °C bake needs bakeable trays.

[IMAGE 4: side-by-side cross-section of a 1.4 mm LQFP-208 and a 3.4 mm PQFP-208 | alt: “LQFP-208 package compared with PQFP-208 showing 1.4 mm against 3.4 mm body height”]

Frequently asked questions

What are the dimensions of an LQFP208 package?

The body is 27.90 to 28.10 mm square and the lead tips span 29.90 to 30.10 mm, on 0.50 mm pitch. Overall height is 1.60 mm max, with a body thickness of 1.35 to 1.45 mm and a standoff of 0.05 to 0.15 mm. Mold protrusion of 0.25 mm per side is allowed on top of the body dimension.

How many pins per side does an LQFP-208 have?

Fifty-two leads per side across all four sides. Numbering starts at the indexed corner and runs counter-clockwise viewed from above, so the corner leads are pins 1, 52, 53, 104, 105, 156, 157 and 208. The 52 leads occupy about 25.50 mm of the 28 mm edge.

Is LQFP-208 the same as PQFP-208?

No. Both carry 208 leads on 0.5 mm pitch on a 28 mm body, but the LQFP is 1.4 mm thick against 3.4 to 3.5 mm for the PQFP, and their lead spans differ by roughly 0.6 mm. The land patterns are not interchangeable. Most 208-lead FPGAs and CPLDs are the thicker package.

What footprint should I use for an LQFP-208?

At Level N density, use pads of roughly 0.30 mm wide by 1.55 mm long with outer edges spanning 30.80 mm, inside a 31.30 mm square courtyard. Holtek’s published footprint guide specifies 0.30 mm pad width for this package. Wider pads raise bridging risk without improving joint strength.

What is the thermal resistance of an LQFP-208?

Cirrus Logic measured 39 °C/W junction-to-ambient and 13 °C/W junction-to-case for a 208-lead LQFP with a 6.5 × 6.5 mm die in still air, against 34 °C/W and 9 °C/W for the same lead count in a 3.5 mm body. Check your own device datasheet, since θJA depends heavily on die size and board copper.

The decision

Choose the LQFP-208 when the device dissipates roughly a watt or less, when height is constrained below about 2 mm, when signal integrity on fast I/O matters more than heat spreading, and when 31 mm square of board area is available. The lower lead inductance and resistance are real advantages over the thicker package.

Choose the 3.4 mm quad flat pack when the part you need only exists in it, which is the usual case for 208-lead FPGAs and CPLDs, or when junction temperature rather than ground bounce is your limiting constraint.

Move to BGA when neither works. The 208-lead LQFP accepts an 11 mm die at most, and above that lead count and die size the perimeter package stops being the efficient answer.

Before release, do three things. Confirm the body thickness and lead span from the manufacturer drawing for your exact part number, not from a distributor field. Set the keepout to 28.60 mm to cover mold protrusion. Check your library pad width against the 0.30 mm figure derived above.

Internal links

• [INTERNAL LINK: LQFP-176 package dimensions and footprint → package reference series]
• [INTERNAL LINK: BGA vs QFP package selection → package selection guide]
• [INTERNAL LINK: IPC-7351B land pattern density levels → PCB footprint standards]
• [INTERNAL LINK: MSL ratings and floor life → component handling and storage]

External sources

• Renesas drawing Q208.28x28A (MS-026 BJB): https://www.renesas.com/en/document/psc/q20828x28a-208-thin-plastic-quad-flatpack-package
• NXP package SOT459-2: https://www.nxp.com/packages/SOT459-2
• Cirrus Logic Package Information Guide v5.0: https://d3uzseaevmutz1.cloudfront.net/pubs/misc/PackageGuide5.pdf
• Holtek Recommended Footprints for QFP Series: https://www.holtek.com/webapi/106680/Footprints_for_QFP_LQFP_TQFP_Series_20230119.pdf/7f1471e7-8267-4723-923c-86b41720b4a6