At the beginning of the 90ies a concept paper has been developed by the physics department, which codyfied the importance of nanosciences for the physics faculty and its long-term development. With the limited number of eight professors in the physics department it was clear that it will not be possible even on the long run to cover all areas of physics in the same way. On the other hand the authors of this studies stated clearly that a focusing on a topical area with a longe-term perspective will bring important advantages for the future development of the physics department as well as of the whole natural science faculty. Due to the at that time predominant areas of research in Linz it was soon clear that the just developing area of nanoscience and -technology not only showed great potential for future development but also was compatible with most of the research areas in Linz.

Already at that time the available number of topics and research methody with a connection to the just evolving nanosciences was remarkable: At the institutes for semiconductor- and solid states physics semiconductorhetero- and nanostructures have been produced, stucturized and characterized, while persuing the top-down as well as the bottom-up approach. The institue for applied physics researched laser-based methods for structurisation, which can be used to deposit nm thick films of complex organic compounds in an intact way. In the institute for biophysics several advanced analytical methods were used to investigate functional groups on living cells and thus an experimental approach to biological bottum-up systems was made. Also at that time the institute of atomic and nuclear physics used methods of surface physics and in the area of theoretical physics a lot of cooperations and connecting factors to other groups existed.

According to the variety of topics in the area of nanoscience soon common areas of interest, possibilities for cooperation and synergies have been found. Strategies for the replacement of vacant professorships and combined infrastructural measures have been devised to lead to a closer crosslinking and formation of a common main focus in the physics department.

During the evaluation of the physics faculty at the beginning of the 90ies the nano-conceptpaper was judged very positively. In the following years it served as a giudeline for several replacements and has been followed in connection with its infrastructural implications. Furthermore also in other research areas aside from physics stepts in the direction of nanoscience and -technology, which lead during the 1990ies to the amount of expertise now available in Linz in this area.