# US 2026/0085401 A1 · Selective surface passivation and initiated polymerization for area selective deposition

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- Number: US 2026/0085401 A1
- Document ID: US20260085401A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/894,329
- Filed: 2024-09-24
- Published: 2026-03-26
- Earliest claimed: 2024-09-24
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Thomas Geoffrey Pattison; Ishwar Singh; Noel Arellano; Rudy J. Wojtecki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260085401A1

## CPC

- C23C 16/04: Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks
- C23C 16/45525: {Atomic layer deposition [ALD]}
- H10P 14/6339: {deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE or pulsed CVD}
- H10P 14/683: {carbon-based polymeric organic materials, e.g. polyimides, poly cyclobutene or PVC}
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A process of area selective deposition (ASD), a process of atomic layer deposition (ALD), and a process of device fabrication include forming a passivation layer on a metal surface of a substrate and forming a surface-bound polymer film on a dielectric surface of the substrate. The forming the passivation layer includes binding metal-selective inhibitor molecules to the metal surface. A device is formed in a process that includes forming a passivation layer on a metal surface of a substrate and forming a surface-bound polymer film on a dielectric surface of the substrate. The forming the passivation layer includes binding metal-selective inhibitor molecules to the metal surface. A composition for area selective deposition (ASD) includes a metal-selective inhibitor molecule have the following structure: wherein X is a metal-binding group, R is an organic ligand, and n is an integer greater than or equal to zero.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process of area selective deposition (ASD), comprising:
forming a passivation layer on a metal surface of a substrate, wherein the forming comprises binding metal-selective inhibitor molecules to the metal surface; and
forming a surface-bound polymer film on a dielectric surface of the substrate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, further comprising performing atomic layer deposition (ALD) on the metal surface.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The process of claim 2, further comprising removing the passivation layer prior to performing the ALD.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the metal-selective inhibitor molecules have the following structure:
wherein X is a metal-binding group, R is an organic ligand, and n is an integer greater than or equal to zero.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The process of claim 4, wherein X is selected from the group consisting of hydroxamic acid, phosphonic acid, thiol, and carboxylic acid substituents.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The process of claim 4, wherein n=3.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The process of claim 4, wherein R is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl chain, adamantyl, and phenyl.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, further comprising treating the substrate with oxygen plasma prior to the passivating.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the forming the surface-bound polymer film comprises functionalizing the dielectric surface with surface-bound initiator molecules.

### Claim 10

A process of atomic layer deposition (ALD), comprising:
forming a passivation layer on a metal surface of a substrate, wherein the forming comprises binding metal-selective inhibitor molecules to the metal surface; and
forming a surface-bound polymer film on a dielectric surface of the substrate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The process of claim 10, wherein the metal-selective inhibitor molecules have the following structure:
wherein X is a metal-binding group, R is an organic ligand, and n is an integer greater than or equal to zero.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The process of claim 11, wherein X is selected from the group consisting of hydroxamic acid, phosphonic acid, thiol, and carboxylic acid substituents.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The process of claim 11, wherein n=3.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The process of claim 11, wherein R is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl chain, adamantyl, and phenyl.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The process of claim 10, wherein the forming the surface-bound polymer film comprises functionalizing the dielectric surface with surface-bound initiator molecules.

### Claim 16

A process of device fabrication, comprising:
forming a passivation layer on a metal surface of a substrate, wherein the forming comprises binding metal-selective inhibitor molecules to the metal surface; and
forming a surface-bound polymer film on a dielectric surface of the substrate.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The process of claim 16, wherein the metal-selective inhibitor molecules have the following structure:
wherein X is a metal-binding group, R is an organic ligand, and n is an integer greater than or equal to zero.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The process of claim 16, wherein the forming the surface-bound polymer film comprises functionalizing the dielectric surface with surface-bound initiator molecules.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The process of claim 16, further comprising:
removing the passivation layer; and
forming a metal oxide film on the metal surface without the passivation layer.

### Claim 20

A device formed in a process comprising:
forming a passivation layer on a metal surface of a substrate, wherein the forming comprises binding metal-selective inhibitor molecules to the metal surface; and
forming a surface-bound polymer film on a dielectric surface of the substrate.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The device of claim 20, wherein the metal-selective inhibitor molecules have the following structure:
wherein X is a metal-binding group, R is an organic ligand, and n is an integer greater than or equal to zero.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The device of claim 21, wherein X is selected from the group consisting of hydroxamic acid, phosphonic acid, thiol, and carboxylic acid.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The device of claim 21, wherein R is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl chain, adamantyl, and phenyl.

### Claim 24 (depends on 20)

The device of claim 20, wherein the forming the surface-bound polymer film comprises functionalizing the dielectric surface with surface-bound initiator molecules.

### Claim 25

A composition for area selective deposition (ASD), comprising a metal-selective inhibitor molecule have the following structure:
wherein X is a metal-binding group, R is an organic ligand, and n is an integer greater than or equal to zero.