Definition of full width half maximum

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Photonics Dictionary

full width half maximum: The full width at half maximum (FWHM) is a measure used in various fields, particularly in spectroscopy, signal processing, and imaging, to characterize the width or extent of a distribution, peak, or feature.

Specifically, the FWHM is defined as the width of a distribution or peak at half of its maximum amplitude or intensity. In other words, it represents the width of the distribution or peak at the points where the amplitude or intensity is equal to half of its maximum value.

For example, in a Gaussian distribution or a Gaussian-shaped peak, the FWHM corresponds to the distance between the two points on the x-axis where the function reaches half of its maximum height. Similarly, in spectroscopy, the FWHM of a spectral line indicates the spectral bandwidth of the line at half of its peak intensity.

The FWHM is often used as a measure of the resolution or precision of a system. A narrower FWHM indicates a sharper or more finely resolved peak, while a broader FWHM indicates a broader or less resolved peak. In various applications, such as in optical spectroscopy, chromatography, or imaging systems, characterizing the FWHM of peaks or features helps to assess the performance and quality of the measurement or imaging technique.

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