A method of forming a stressed thin film on a substrate includes forming a plurality of islands on a viscous layer that is present on a surface of a substrate. Adjacent islands are bridged with a stressor layer. The structure is annealed at an elevated temperature above the glass flow temperature of the viscous layer to transfer at least a portion of the stress from the stressor layer to the underlying islands. The bridges are then removed to expose the stressed islands of thin film on the substrate.