A copper line having self assembled monolayer for use in ULSI semiconductor devices and methods of making the same are presented. The copper line includes an interlayer dielectric, a self-assembled monolayer, catalytic particles on the monolayer, and a copper layer on the monolayer with the catalytic particles. The method includes the steps of forming an interlayer dielectric on a semiconductor substrate having a metal line forming region; forming a self-assembled monolayer on the metal line forming region; adsorbing catalytic particles on the self-assembled monolayer; forming using an electroless process a copper seed layer on the self-assembled monolayer having the catalytic particles adsorbed thereto; and forming a copper layer on the copper seed layer to fill in the metal line forming region.