Strain-free thin film growth of vanadium dioxide deposited on 2D atomic layered material of hexagonal boron nitride investigated by their thickness dependence of insulator–metal transition behavior

Abstract We report on the preparation of vanadium dioxide (VO 2 ) ultrathin films on hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), which is a typical two-dimensional material, to show clear metal–insulator transition owing to weak van der Waals interaction at their surface. It is confirmed that VO 2 films on hBN with thicknesses ranging from 10 to 40 nm exhibit bulk like metal–insulator transition without degradation using Raman scattering spectroscopy and electric transport measurements. These results demonstrate the importance of the 2D material nature of hBN for producing strain-free oxide thin films.