Q factor Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
The Q factor or quality factor is a measure of the "quality" of a resonant system. Resonant systems respond to frequencies close to the natural frequency much more strongly than they respond to other frequencies. On a graph of response versus frequency, the bandwidth is defined as the 3 dB change in level besides the center frequency. The definition of the bandwidth as the "full width at half maximum" or FWHM is wrong.The Q factor is defined as the resonant frequency (center frequency) f0 divided by the bandwidth Δf:
In a tuned radio frequency receiver (TRF) the Q factor is:
In optics, the optical Q factor of a resonant cavity is the ratio of energy stored to energy dissipated in the cavity. If the Q factor of a laser's cavity is abruptly changed, the laser can be induced to emit a pulse of light; this technique is known as Q-switching.
In marketing and pop culture commentary, Q factor is sometimes used as a casual synonym for Q Score.Other uses