Evangelos S. Eleftheriou
Evangelos Eleftheriou | |
|---|---|
| Born | Greece |
| Occupation | Electrical engineer |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Known for | Innovations in digital storage, nanopositioning technologies, phase-change memory |
Evangelos Eleftheriou () is a Greek electrical engineer recognized as an IBM Fellow and formerly served as the leader of the Cloud and Computing Infrastructure division at IBM Research – Zurich in Switzerland.
Education and research interests
Eleftheriou obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Patras in 1979. He then pursued graduate studies at Carleton University in Canada, earning a Master of Engineering in 1981 and completing his Ph.D. in 1985. Beginning his career at IBM Research – Zurich in 1986, he eventually directed the Cloud and Computing Infrastructure department until his retirement. Throughout his career, he has been granted over 150 patents and has published close to 200 scientific articles.
Research activities
Eleftheriou made significant contributions to magnetic recording through his pioneering work on noise-predictive detection, which laid the groundwork for Noise-Predictive Maximum Likelihood (NPML) detection technology employed in hard disk drives (HDDs) and magnetic tape systems. His developments introduced sophisticated digital signal processing methods that are fundamental to storage read channel components.
In 2001, he initiated research into probe-based storage technologies, commercially termed Millipede Storage, expanding upon IBM Nobel laureate Gerd Binnig’s atomic force microscopy concept for nanoscale data writing. His team succeeded in creating a prototype that set a world record with an areal density of 840 Gb/in², earning IndustryWeek’s "Technology of the Year" award in 2003. This innovation also advanced nanopositioning techniques, facilitating progress in data storage, nanolithography, and scanning probe microscopy applications.
He is also credited with co-developing the progressive edge growth (PEG) algorithm, which plays a crucial role in generating Tanner graphs with large girth. This algorithm is extensively utilized in low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes within recording and communication systems.
Since 2007, Eleftheriou’s research emphasis shifted toward phase-change memory (PCM), positioning it as a storage-class memory that bridges traditional memory and storage solutions. His group tackled the challenge of long-term resistance drift in multi-level cell (MLC) PCM by devising innovative read-out techniques and introduced "projected PCM devices" that separate write and read functions to prevent drift effects. They validated these concepts through a large-scale prototype capable of storing three bits per cell.
Additionally, his investigations into carbon-based resistive memory materials focused on oxygenated amorphous carbon, enhancing endurance by promoting filament rupture via oxygen doping—a significant advancement for resistive random-access memory technologies.
More recently, Eleftheriou has contributed to neuromorphic computing by engineering ultra-low power artificial synapses and spiking neurons utilizing phase-change materials. His team showcased population-based computational models inspired by brain processes, including a temporal correlation detector implemented within an all-phase-change neuromorphic framework.
Awards and honors
Inducted into the National Academy of Engineering (Class of 2018) for his innovations in digital storage and nanopositioning technologies applied to hard disk drives, tape systems, and phase-change memory.
Named an IEEE Fellow in 2001
Recipient of the Eduard Rhein Foundation Technology Award, Germany, in 2005
Honored as an IBM Fellow and admitted to the IBM Academy of Technology in 2005
Awarded the IEEE Control Systems Society’s Control Systems Technology Award in 2009
Conferred the title of Honoris Causa Professor at the University of Patras in 2016