High quality epitaxial layers of monocrystalline materials can be grown overlying monocrystalline substrates by forming a compliant substrate for growing the monocrystalline layers. One way to achieve compliancy includes first growing on a silicon wafer an accommodating buffer layer that is a layer of monocrystalline oxide spaced apart from the silicon wafer by an amorphous interface layer of silicon oxide. The amorphous interface layer dissipates strain and permits the growth of a high quality monocrystalline oxide accommodating buffer layer. In this way, high speed devices can be fabricated along with integral silicon-based circuitry to provide an efficient, low-cost semiconductor structure. Moreover, I/O pins and their associated problems can be eliminated.