slew rate vs scan rate

[thohry]

Hi all,

I read in the specs of an ICPMS. There are slew rate and scan rate, both relating to amu/sec, slew rate is fater.
I know scan rate and from that we can calculate number of scans per second. So what is slew rate, and does it have anything relating to scan rat ?.

Thanks for any help.

[Don_Hilton]

In the days of stripchart recorders, you had to keep in mind slew rate - that was the fastest rate at wich the pen would move across the bed of the recorder. You did not want to scan a spectrum too fast (for instance the lines in the UV spectrum of iodine) or you would lose detail because the pen could not keep up.

From you description, I would expect the slew rate to be the maximum speed you can drive the scan mechanism.

[thohry]

Thanks Don Hilton.
With you example of stripchart, I think in the case of ICP-MS, the slew rate is the rate at which, the voltages (DC & RF) can change from one mass to another, but not having data acquisition, just like the move of the pen in a stripchart recorder 'on air' (without drawing anything on the paper). Slew rate is faster than scan rate.