Semiconductor-based detection and decontamination system

1. A system for identifying and making quantitative determinations with respect to deposits on a portion of the system, determining that the deposit is a contaminant, and decontaminating at least the portion of the system, the system comprising:

a) a controller containing information about at least one contaminant;

b) an embedded sensing portion monitoring an atmosphere above said sensing portion, wherein said atmosphere comprises air, the sensing portion communicating with at least said controller and adapted to detect a quantity of the deposits, the sensing portion comprising film layer on a surface and maintained at atmospheric pressure and temperature, wherein said deposit is physisorbed or chemisorbed directly from said atmosphere to said surface; and

c) an embedded self-decontaminating portion triggered by the sensing portion and communicating with at least said controller to determine a resistance and temperature of the surface and adapted to decontaminate the portion of the system wherein the sensing portion and the self-decontaminating portion are substantially encapsulated within the surface; wherein said embedded sensing portion, and said self-decontaminating portion are integrally molded on said surface.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said controller includes a signature library storing data of at least one of a resistance and temperature of at least one non-contaminant.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said sensing and decontaminating portions are coupled to said controller using at least one connection.

4. The system as recited in claim 2 wherein said sensing portion comprises at least one electrode adapted to measure at least one of resistance and temperature of the deposit.

5. The system as recited in claim 4 wherein said controller is adapted to compare said measured at least one resistance and temperature with said stored at least one resistance and temperature to determine if the deposit is a contaminant.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said decontamination portion comprises at least one optic source adapted to provide light having energy greater than the bandgap energy of a semiconductor comprising the layer, thereby decontaminating at least the portion of the system.

7. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the system is coated with a semiconductor material.

8. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein said decontamination portion comprises at least one optic adapted to provide light having energy equal to or exceeding said semi-conductor's bandgap energy to decontaminate the portion of the system.

9. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein said semiconductor comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of TiO 2 , SrTiO 3 , ZnO, SrO, In 2 O 3 , GeO 2 , Nb 2 O 5 , MoO 3 , CeO 2 , ThO 2 , SnO 2 , ZrO 2 , VO 2 , WO 3 , CdS, and Fe 2 O 3 .

10. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein said sensing portion is adapted to measure a resistance and temperature of said semiconductor.

11. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said controller activates or deactivates the sensor portion or the decontamination portion.

12. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the sensing portion is exposed to an atmosphere containing organic contaminants wherein the controller contains at least one of a resistance and temperature of said at least organic contaminants.

13. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein the decontamination process continues on a feedback loop until said contaminant is decontaminated from the surface.