NEC Electronics, Sony, and Toshiba have agreed to jointly develop system LSI process technologies for the 45-nanometer (nm) generation. In February 2004, Sony and Toshiba announced their collaboration on 45-nm system LSI process technology development, and have since proceeded with technology development based at Toshiba's Advanced Microelectronics Center in Japan. Likewise, NEC Electronics and Toshiba announced their agreement to jointly develop 45-nm process technology in November 2005, and have been in discussions to decide the details of that collaboration.

As a result of Wednesday 's agreement, NEC Electronics' 45-nm development team will join Sony and Toshiba's ongoing work on 45-nm technology development.