Embodiments of the present disclosure describe an integrated circuit and associated fabrication techniques and configurations, which may include forming on at least one of a metal layer or a polymer layer of an integrated circuit die a surface layer that includes an adhesion-functional group, and applying to the surface layer a next layer to adhere to the surface layer with the adhesion-functional group. In embodiments wherein the at least one of the metal layer or the polymer layer is a polymer layer, forming the surface layer may include copolymerizing on the polymer layer a polar monomer that includes the adhesion-functional group. In embodiments wherein the at least one of the metal layer or the polymer layer is a metal layer, forming the surface layer may include forming on the metal layer a self-assembled monolayer that includes amine group terminations. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.