TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRONICS - Preferred Device: In the device, at least some of the hydrophilic groups are on side chains of the hydrophilic polymer of formula -(O)x-(alkylene-O)-, where alkylene is optionally substituted 1-4C alkylene.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The inorganic thin film is either a metal or a metal containing compound. The metal-containing compound contains a group V or group VI anion, or it is an oxide, nitride, sulfide, and/or phosphide. The inorganic thin film contains zinc oxide; zinc, aluminum, hafnium, zirconium, and/or indium; or copper, tungsten, aluminum, nickel, ruthenium, or rhodium. The second reactive gaseous material is a non-metallic compound.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Method: The inorganic thin film is deposited on the substrate by atomic layer deposition. In the method, at least some of the hydrophilic groups are ether groups that are recurring and form at least part of the hydrophilic polymer backbone; at least some of hydrophilic groups are on side chains of the hydrophilic polymer and are of formula -(O)x-(alkylene-O)-, where alkylene is optionally substituted 1-4C alkylene. The hydrophilic polymer satisfies both of the following tests: it is soluble to at least 1 wt.% in a solution containing at least 50 wt.% water as measured at 40 degrees C, and it provides an inhibition power of at least 200 Angstrom to deposition of zinc oxide by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The step (a) is depositing a uniform layer of the composition comprising the deposition inhibitor material. The step (a) is depositing a pattern of the composition comprising the deposition inhibitor material, where the composition comprises the deposition inhibitor material is deposited by inkjet printing, gravure, flexography, donor transfer, micro-contact printing, or offset lithography. The inorganic thin film is deposited using spatially dependant ALD that involves: providing a series of gas channels, each in contact with a discrete separate region of a substrate, and each gas channel having a gas composition, the gas composition comprising, in order, at least a first reactive gaseous material, an inert purge gas, and a second reactive gaseous material, and optionally repeating this sequence several times, moving the substrate relative to the gas channels so that a portion of the substrate comes into contact sequentially with at least two gas zones, where the first reactive gaseous material is capable of reacting with a substrate surface that has been treated with the second reactive gaseous material to form the inorganic thin film. In the method, a given area of the substrate is exposed to a gas composition in an elongated opening for less than 100 milliseconds; and the relative movement of the substrate to a deposition device is at a speed of at least 0.1 cm/second.x=0 or 1.Preferred Components: The hydrophilic polymer is poly(methyl vinyl ether), poly(ethylene glycol), polypropylene glycol, and/or glycerol propoxylate. The substrate or a support for the substrate comprises a moving web. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.