Patent attributes
Embodiments of the invention provide methods for selective deposition on different materials using a surface treatment. According to one embodiment, the method includes providing a substrate containing a first material layer having a first surface and a second material layer having a second surface, and performing a chemical oxide removal process that terminates that second surface with hydroxyl groups. The method further includes modifying the second surface by exposure to a process gas containing a hydrophobic functional group, the modifying substituting the hydroxyl groups on the second surface with the hydrophobic functional group, and selectively depositing a metal-containing layer on the first surface but not on the modified second surface by exposing the substrate to a deposition gas.