Local ultra-thin strained silicon (sigma(Si) = 1.8 GPa) layer on a relaxed SiGe/Si substrate stack has been grown by molecular beam epitaxy in selected spots on the wafer surface defined by patterned windows opened in a SiO(2)/Si(3)N(4) layer stack. Outside the windows the polycrystalline deposited materials have been removed by chemical mechanical polishing. The strains in the Si and in the SiGe strain relaxed buffer have been investigated using micro-Raman spectroscopy. Based on this growth procedure ultrathin strained silicon layer on insulator fabrication process is proposed. (C) 2011 Elsevier By. All rights reserved.