Techniques are disclosed for forming a transistor with enhanced thermal performance. The enhanced thermal performance can be derived from the inclusion of thermal boost material adjacent to the transistor, where the material can be selected based on the transistor type being formed. In the case of PMOS devices, the adjacent thermal boost material may have a high positive linear coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) (e.g., greater than 5 ppm/° C. at around 20° C.) and thus expand as operating temperatures increase, thereby inducing compressive strain on the channel region of an adjacent transistor and increasing carrier (e.g., hole) mobility. In the case of NMOS devices, the adjacent thermal boost material may have a negative linear CTE (e.g., less than 0 ppm/° C. at around 20° C.) and thus contract as operating temperatures increase, thereby inducing tensile strain on the channel region of an adjacent transistor and increasing carrier (e.g., electron) mobility.