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Pete PollardAssociate Partner of DeltaPatents E-mail: pete.pollard@deltapatents.com |
Specialist areas
- Optical, X-ray and E-beam lithography
- Vacuum systems
- UV optics and X-ray reflectors
- Electron-optics
- X-ray discharge sources
- Mechatronics
Professional Education
- Bachelor (Honours) from University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Dutch patent attorney
- European patent attorney
Tutor
Pete is a senior tutor in the many courses offered by DeltaPatents, concentrating on procedural EPC and PCT patent law. Pete is the author of several books used by candidates preparing for the EQE, including DeltaPatents’ Question and Answer books and the D Methodology books. He is also the main contributor to the SaltedPatent IP blog.
Career
After graduating in Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Pete moved from the UK to the Netherlands to work for Philips in Eindhoven. As a System Engineer, he was responsible for optimizing, installating and commissioning electron-beam exposure systems in Europe and the US. Each was little better than a prototype, so he gained hands-on experience cleaning and mechanically adjusting the electron-optical vacuum system, writing diagnostic software and upgrading the electronics.
After 9 years, Pete moved to ASML in Veldhoven as a Development Engineer responsible for ensuring that optical lithographical exposure systems (UV wafer steppers) on paper could be manufactured and serviced when they moved to production. Specialized on the wafer stage, he became acquainted with accurate mechanics, pneumatics and mechatronics and interferometer systems needed to position the wafer within a few nanometers at speeds of several hundred millimeters per second. In addition, he occasionally traveled to customer fabs in Europe, US and Asia to provide expert support and training.
In 1999, Pete moved within ASML to help prepare Customer Support division for the EUV (soft X-ray) stepper, which was still in the conceptual phase. As a System Architect he was responsible for an overall support concept to cope with the shift from lenses to mirrors, exposing under vacuum and increasing complexity. He gained knowledge in ergonomics, diagnostics, reliability and user interfaces. Subsequently he translated this knowledge into design requirements and training for his colleagues.
In 2002, he moved to the ASML patent department where he initially managed a world-wide optical portfolio, and later a large part of the EUV portfolio relating to discharge sources and mirror optics. Concentrating on invention collation, mining and generation, additional responsibilities included product clearance, infringement analysis and consideration of overall strategy.
After passing the Dutch patent exams and the majority of the European patent exams, Pete moved to DeltaPatents in February 2007. His activities include patent creation, prosecution, and exploitation, and providing courses in European patent law.