A microelectronic device having a functional metal oxide channel may be fabricated on a microelectronic substrate that can be utilized in very large scale integration, such as a silicon substrate, by forming a buffer transition layer between the microelectronic substrate and the functional metal oxide channel. In one embodiment, the microelectronic device may be a microelectronic transistor with a source structure and a drain structure formed on the buffer transition layer, wherein the source structure and the drain structure abut opposing sides of the functional metal oxide channel and a gate dielectric is disposed between a gate electrode and the functional metal oxide channel. In another embodiment, the microelectronic device may be a two-terminal microelectronic device.