NOVELTY - A deposition method for forming patterned thin film involves: a) applying composition containing deposition inhibitor material to substrate; b) simultaneously/subsequently to step (a), patterning the deposition inhibitor material to provide selected areas on substrate where deposition inhibitor material is absent; and c) depositing inorganic thin film on substrate by chemical vapor deposition only in those areas where deposition inhibitor material is absent, where the deposition inhibitor material is a hydrophilic polymer.    USE - For forming a patterned thin film, useful for forming electronic device selected from integrated circuit, active-matrix display, solar cell, active-matrix imager, sensor, or an rf label (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The method allows operation under atmospheric pressure conditions, e.g. in low temperature processes at atmospheric pressures in an unsealed environment or open to ambient atmosphere; provides deposition of a deposition inhibitor material that can be applied in an aqueous medium instead of a strictly organic solvent medium.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - A deposition method for forming a patterned thin film involves: a) applying a composition containing deposition inhibitor material to a substrate; b) simultaneously or subsequently to step (a), patterning the deposition inhibitor material to provide selected areas on the substrate where the deposition inhibitor material is absent; and c) 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 a hydrophilic polymer that has in its backbone, side chains, or both backbone and side chains, multiple hydrophilic group of formula -C-O-C-. 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 that has in its backbone, side chains, or both backbone and side chains, multiple hydrophilic group of formula -C-O-C-.