NOVELTY - A deposition method for forming patterned thin film involves applying composition comprising deposition inhibitor material to a substrate; simultaneously or subsequently, patterning the deposition inhibitor material to provide selected areas on the substrate where the deposition inhibitor material is absent; and depositing an inorganic thin film on the substrate by chemical vapor deposition only in those areas where the deposition inhibitor material is absent, where the deposition inhibitor material is hydrophilic poly(vinyl alcohol) having a degree of hydrolysis of less than 95%.    USE - For forming a patterned thin film, in electronic device such as integrated circuit, active-matrix display, solar cell, active-matrix imager, sensor, or an rf label (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - A thin film is deposited only in the selected areas of the substrate not having the deposition inhibitor material. The selective deposition inhibitors are soluble in environmentally friendly solvents, principally water and alcohols, and can be applied as aqueous formulations. The selective deposition of metal oxides and other materials can be used in a chemical vapor deposition process such as ALD system, for example a spatially dependent ALD system. The method is adaptable for deposition on a web or other moving substrate, including deposition onto a large area substrate. The method allows operation under atmospheric pressure conditions, for example in low temperature processes at atmospheric pressures in an unsealed environment or open to ambient atmosphere. The method provides for the deposition of a deposition inhibitor material that can be applied in an aqueous medium instead of a strictly organic solvent medium. Thus, this aqueous medium or solution comprises at least water (50 wt.%).    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for an electronic device having a substrate and having on it a deposited pattern of a composition comprising a deposition inhibitor material, and a deposited inorganic thin film disposed only in selected areas of the substrate where the composition comprising a deposition inhibitor material is absent, where the deposition inhibitor material is a hydrophilic polymer poly(vinyl alcohol) having a degree of hydrolysis of less than 95%.