Patent ID: 8551560

Claim:
A method for improving selective deposition of a capping layer on a patterned substrate, the method comprising: receiving the patterned substrate, the patterned substrate comprising a conductive region and a dielectric region followed by; forming a molecular masking layer (MML) on the dielectric region followed by; removing unattached MML by pre-cleaning, followed by; before reacting and/or contacting the patterned substrate with a plating bath, preparing an electroless (ELESS) plating bath, wherein the ELESS plating bath comprises: a stabilizer comprising 2-mercapto benzothiazole (MBT) having a concentration of 0.1 ppm; a cobalt (Co) ion source: a complexing agent: a buffer: a tungsten (W) ion source: a reducing agent; and a surfactant comprising Hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (HTAB) having a concentration of 2 ppm, followed by; reacting the patterned substrate with the ELESS plating bath for an ELESS period at an ELESS temperature and an ELESS pH such that the capping layer is selectively formed on the conductive region, wherein the MML comprises a silanol having the formula: R—X—Si(OH) 3 , wherein R is a hydrophobic group having a formula O(C 2 H 4 O) m CH 3 where m=an integer greater than zero; and X is an organic having a formula (CH 2 ) n where n=an integer greater than zero.