Enabling bottom-up nanoelectronics fabrication by selective sol–gel dielectric-on-dielectric deposition

•Sol–gel selective dielectric-on-dielectric deposition vs. metal demonstrated.•Selective de-wetting driving force.•Critical volume identified beyond which solution is unstable on the lyophobic areas.•Demonstrated de-wetting from 1 µm wide lyophobic copper area.•Subsequent solution drying results in 200 nm SiO2 selective to dielectric pattern area.