The present invention relates to semiconductor-on-insulator structures having strained semiconductor layers. According to one embodiment of the invention, a semiconductor-on-insulator structure has a first layer including a semiconductor material, attached to a second layer including a glass or glass-ceramic, with the CTEs of the semiconductor and glass or glass-ceramic selected such that the first layer is under tensile strain. The present invention also relates to methods for making strained semiconductor-on-insulator layers.