A self-aligned enhancement mode metal-oxide-compound semiconductor field effect transistor (10) includes a gate insulating structure comprised of a first oxide layer that includes a mixture of indium and gallium oxide compounds (30) positioned immediately on top of the compound semiconductor structure, and a second insulating layer comprised of either gallium oxygen and rare earth elements or gallium sulphur and rare earth elements positioned immediately on top of said first layer. Together the lower indium gallium oxide compound layer and the second insulating layer form a gate insulating structure. The gate insulating structure and underlying compound semiconductor layer (15) meet at an atomically abrupt interface at the surface of with the compound semiconductor wafer structure (14). The first oxide layer serves to passivate and protect the underlying compound semiconductor surface from the second insulating layer and atmospheric contamination. A refractory metal gate electrode layer (17) is positioned on upper surface (18) of the second insulating layer. The refractory metal is stable on the second insulating layer at elevated temperature. Self-aligned source and drain areas, and source and drain contacts (19, 20) are positioned on the source and drain areas (21, 22) of the device. Multiple devices are then positioned in proximity and the appropriate interconnection metal layers and insulators are utilized in concert with other passive circuit elements to form an integrated circuit structure.