BEAU B. BURTON, Ph.D., is a patent attorney in the firm's Chemical Patent Prosecution group. His practice includes the prosecution and preparation of patent applications.
Before attending law school, Dr. Burton obtained his Ph.D. in chemistry under the direction of Professor Stephen M. George. Dr. Burton's graduate research focused on the fabrication, design and characterization of ultrathin films and nanostructures for applications such as ceramics, nanothermites, gate dielectrics, gas diffusion barriers, and microelectromechanical systems. He designed and synthesized novel silicon based precursors for the atomic layer deposition (ALD) of SiO2 and developed innovative surface chemistries for the ALD of MgO, MnO, TaN, and SiO2. Dr. Burton also refined numerous silicon-comprising oligomer and polymer synthetic methodologies. Throughout his research, he gained extensive experience with high vacuum techniques and surface analysis techniques including X-ray reflectivity, X-ray diffraction, ellipsometry, mass spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, quartz crystal microbalance, and FTIR spectroscopy.
While attending law school, Dr. Burton served as an Affiliate Professor of Chemistry at Loyola University Maryland teaching both general and physical chemistry. As a former professor, Dr. Burton holds a deep understanding in the science behind his clients' innovations. He is especially skilled in effectively distilling and communicating both complex scientific and legal issues.