half-width

half-width

Half the width of a spectral line, measured at half the height. In some branches of spectroscopy it is customary to use the term to mean the full width at half height. See also equivalent width; line profile.

half-width

[′haf ¦width] (mathematics) For a function which has a maximum and falls off rapidly on either side of the maximum, the difference between the two values of the independent variable for which the dependent variable has one-half its maximum value.