System and method for practicing spectrophotometry using light emitting nanostructure devices

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for practicing spectrophotometry using light emitting nanostructures. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention include a physiologic sensor comprising a sensor body configured for placement adjacent pulsatile tissue of a patient, a first light emitting nanostructure device configured to emit light at a first wavelength through the pulsatile tissue, a second light emitting nanostructure device configured to emit light at a second wavelength through the pulsatile tissue, and a light detector configured to detect the light at the first wavelength and the light at the second wavelength after dispersion through the pulsatile tissue.

1 . A physiologic sensor, comprising:
 a sensor body configured for placement adjacent tissue of a patient;   a first light emitting nanostructure device configured to emit light at a first wavelength into the tissue;   a second light emitting nanostructure device configured to emit light at a second wavelength into the tissue, wherein the first and second light emitting nanostructure devices are arranged to simulate emission of light at the first wavelength and light at the second wavelength from essentially a single emission point; and   a light detector configured to detect the light at the first wavelength and the light at the second wavelength from the tissue.   
     
     
         2 . The physiological sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first wavelength is at a point in the electromagnetic spectrum where absorption by oxyhemoglobin differs from absorption by deoxyhemoglobin. 
     
     
         3 . The physiological sensor of  claim 2 , wherein the second wavelength is at a point in the electromagnetic spectrum where absorption by oxyhemoglobin and the absorption by deoxyhemoglobin are different than the first wavelength. 
     
     
         4 . The physiological sensor of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of light emitting nanotube devices arranged in a matrix, wherein the plurality of light emitting nanotube devices comprise the first and second light emitting nanostructure devices. 
     
     
         5 . The physiological sensor of  claim 4 , wherein approximately half of the plurality of light emitting nanotube devices are configured to emit light at the first wavelength through the tissue and the remaining light emitting nanotube devices are configured to emit light at the second wavelength. 
     
     
         6 . The physiological sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first light emitting nanostructure device is configured to emit a red light at approximately 660 nm. 
     
     
         7 . The physiological sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first light emitting nanostructure device is configured to emit an infrared light at approximately 900 nm. 
     
     
         8 . The physiological sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second light emitting nanostructure devices comprise nanotubes, and the first light emitting nanostructure device is arranged within the sensor body for placement adjacent the tissue and has a diameter sufficient to accommodate light emitted from the second light emitting nanostructure device. 
     
     
         9 . The physiological sensor of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of light emitting nanostructure devices arranged in a matrix, wherein a first group of the plurality of light emitting nanostructure devices is stacked adjacent a second group of the plurality light emitting nanostructure devices, wherein the first and second group emit light in the same direction. 
     
     
         10 . The physiological sensor of  claim 9 , wherein an axis of emission of each of the nanostructure devices in the first group are aligned with an axis of emission of each of the nanostructure devices in the second group. 
     
     
         11 . The physiological sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first wavelength is different from the second wavelength. 
     
     
         12 . A pulse oximeter system, comprising:
 a pulse oximeter configured to read signal data and derive patient data from the signal data; and   a sensor configured to detect physiological characteristics of a patient and to communicate the physiological characteristics to the pulse oximeter as the signal data, comprising:
 a sensor body configured for placement adjacent pulsatile tissue of the patient; 
 a first light emitting nanostructure device configured to emit light at a first wavelength into the pulsatile tissue; 
 a second light emitting nanostructure device configured to emit light at a second wavelength into the pulsatile tissue, wherein the first and second light emitting nanostructure devices are arranged to simulate emission of light at the first wavelength and light at the second wavelength from essentially a single emission point; and 
 a light detector configured to detect the light at the first wavelength and the light at the second wavelength from the pulsatile tissue. 
   
     
     
         13 . The pulse oximeter system of  claim 12 , comprising a plurality of light emitting nanotube devices arranged in a matrix, wherein the plurality of light emitting nanotube devices comprise the first and second light emitting nanostructure devices. 
     
     
         14 . The pulse oximeter system of  claim 13 , wherein approximately half of the plurality of light emitting nanotube devices are configured to emit light at the first wavelength through the pulsatile tissue and the remaining light emitting nanotube devices are configure to emit light at the second wavelength. 
     
     
         15 . The pulse oximeter system of  12 , wherein the first and second light emitting nanostructure devices comprise nanotubes. 
     
     
         16 . The pulse oximeter system of  claim 15 , wherein the first light emitting nanostructure device is arranged within the sensor body for placement adjacent the pulsatile tissue and has a diameter sufficient to accommodate light emitted from the second light emitting nanostructure device. 
     
     
         17 . The pulse oximeter system of  claim 12 , wherein the first wavelength is different from the second wavelength. 
     
     
         18 . A method, comprising:
 providing a sensor body configured for placement adjacent tissue of a patient;   disposing a first light emitting nanostructure device in the sensor body, the first light emitting nanostructure device configured to emit light at a first wavelength into the tissue;   disposing a second light emitting nanostructure device in the sensor body, the second light emitting nanostructure device configured to emit light at a second wavelength into the tissue, wherein the first and second light emitting nanostructure devices are arranged to simulate emission of light at the first wavelength and light at the second wavelength from essentially a single emission point; and   providing a light detector configured to detect the light at the first wavelength and the light at the second wavelength from the tissue.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first and second light emitting nanostructures are nanotubes. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the first wavelength is different from the second wavelength.