MOSFET having a channel mechanically stressed by an epitaxially grown, high K strain layer

A transistor comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate;
• a gate conductor layer disposed over a region of the substrate to cause the region of the substrate to operate as a channel of the transistor;
• a strain epi-layer disposed over the channel region of the substrate for stressing the channel region of the substrate, the strain epi-layer comprising a metal oxide or a titanate material with a high dielectric constant;
• and
• a silicon dioxide gate insulator layer disposed between the strain epi-layer and the gate conductor layer.