Medical sensor using photonic crystal LED

1. A system comprising:

a spectrophotometric sensor configured to be operatively coupled to the monitor, the spectrophotometric sensor comprising:

one or more emitters configured to transmit light into tissue, wherein the light has a wavelength adapted to obtain a physiologic measurement, and wherein the one or more emitters comprise a photonic crystal light emitting diode (LED) or a conventional LED; and

a detector configured to receive the light from the tissue and output a signal proportional to an intensity of the light from the tissue; and

a monitor comprising a drive interface configured to:

determine whether the one or more emitters transmitting light into the tissue comprise a photonic crystal LED or a conventional LED;

determine whether an excess current is being driven through the one or more emitters; and

adjust a current driving the one or more emitters to a first level if the one or more emitters comprise the photonic crystal LED or to a second level if the one or more emitters comprise the conventional LED, wherein adjusting the current driving the one or more emitters is based at least in part on whether excess current is being driven through the one or more emitters and on a signal-to-noise ratio of the signal generated by the detector.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the photonic crystal LED comprises a p-type contact, a quantum well region, and an n-type contact.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein an external surface of the p-type contact comprises a plurality of blind holes, wherein each of the plurality of blind holes has a depth less than a thickness of the p-type contact.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of blind holes are arranged in a regular pattern.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein a percentage of escaped light from the photonic crystal LED is greater than approximately 60 percent.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein a luminous efficacy of the photonic crystal LED is greater than approximately 125 lumens per watt.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light is at least partially collimated.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the spectrophotometric sensor is configured for a reflectance mode of operation or a transmittance mode of operation.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the physiologic measurement is a pulse oximetry measurement.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the monitor comprises a pulse oximetry monitor.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the drive interface is configured to decrease the drive current if the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal output from the detector is greater than an upper threshold, and to increase the drive current if the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal output from the detector is less than a lower threshold.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein a luminous efficacy of the photonic crystal LED is greater than approximately 125 lumens per watt.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the upper and lower thresholds are selected based at least in part on the luminous efficacy of the photonic crystal LED.

14. A method comprising:

emitting a wavelength of light from an emitter into a patient, wherein the light is generated by a photonic crystal light emitting diode (LED) or a conventional LED;

detecting the light from the patient and generating a signal proportional to an intensity of the light using a detector;

determining if the emitter generating the wavelength of light is the photonic crystal LED or the conventional LED;

determining whether an excess current is being driven through the emitter; and

adjusting a current driving the emitter to a first level if the emitter is the photonic crystal LED or to a second level if the emitter is the conventional LED, wherein adjusting the current driving the emitter is based at least in part on whether excess current is being driven through the emitter and on a signal-to-noise ratio of the signal generated by the detector.

15. The method of claim 14 , comprising comparing a threshold and the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal generated by the detector using a monitor operatively coupled to the emitter and the detector.

16. The method of claim 15 , comprising adjusting the current driving the emitter if the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal generated by the detector is greater than an upper threshold, and adjusting the current driving the emitter if the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal generated by the detector is less than a lower threshold.

17. The method of claim 16 , comprising selecting the upper and lower thresholds based at least in part on a performance characteristic of the photonic crystal LED.

18. The method of claim 16 , comprising decreasing the current driving the emitter if the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal generated by the detector is greater than the upper threshold.

19. The method of claim 16 , comprising increasing the current driving the emitter is the signal-to-noise ratio of the signal generated by the detector is less than the lower threshold.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the light is scattered from a tissue of the patient or the light is transmitted through the tissue of the patient.

21. A monitor comprising:

one or more spectrophotometric sensor inputs configured to receive a signal from a spectrophotometric sensor, wherein the spectrophotometric sensor comprises:

one or more emitters configured to transmit light into tissue, wherein the light has a wavelength configured to obtain a physiologic measurement, and wherein the one or more emitters comprises a photonic crystal light emitting diode (LED) or a conventional LED; and

a detector configured to receive the light from the tissue and output the signal to the one or more spectrophotometric sensor inputs, wherein the signal is proportional to an intensity of the light from the tissue; and

a drive interface configured to:

determine whether the one or more emitters transmitting light into the tissue comprise a photonic crystal LED or a conventional LED;

determine whether an excess current is being driven through the one or more emitters; and

adjust a current driving the one or more emitters to a first level if the one or more emitters comprise the photonic crystal LED or to a second level if the one or more emitters comprise the conventional LED, wherein adjusting the current driving the one or more emitters is based at least in part on whether excess current is being driven through the one or more emitters and on a signal-to-noise ratio of the signal generated by the detector.