Rare earth semiconductor and ferromagnetic material epitaxially grown on a silicon substrate includes a buffer of single crystal epitaxial rare earth/aluminum nitride positioned on a single crystal silicon substrate and a single crystal epitaxial rare earth oxide positioned on the single crystal epitaxial aluminum nitride. A layer of single crystal epitaxial semiconductor and ferromagnetic rare earth nitride is positioned on the buffer. A layer of III-V semiconductive material may be optionally positioned on the rare earth nitride layer.