John Nibarger, Ph.D.

I am currently the manager of the Boulder MicroFab, an 18,000 square foot cleanroom on the NIST, Boulder campus. Responsibilities include both the oversight of the facility infrastructure as well as process development and collaboration with researchers.

I am an experienced Physicist with proven capabilities in the fields of microelectronic fabrication, magnetism and magnetic materials, and atomic, molecular, and optical physics.  Excellent analytical, problem solving, conflict management, and team building expertise consistently demonstrated in the NIST Boulder MicroFab (BMF) and the linear recording head industry. Background includes microfabrication of corrugated feedhorns for cosmic microwave background telescopes, research and design of next generation magnetic tape drives and magnetic sensors, magnetization dynamics in thin ferromagnetic films, and femtosecond laser physics and nonlinear optics to study laser interactions with solids and gasses.Proven areas of expertise include:

  • Microfabrication process development and optimization
  • Magnetism and magnetic materials
  • Magnetic sensor design
  • Lasers and optics
  • Thin film deposition
  • Laser interactions with solids and gasses
  • Collaboration and innovation
  • Machine Shop

56 papers published in peer review technical journals such as Physics Review Letters, Astrophysical Journal, Applied Optics, Applied Physics Letters, Journal of Applied Physics, etc.

h-index of 25

17 issued U.S. patents

15 technical conference presentations