Abstract: The present disclosure provides a 2-dimensional (2D) non-volatile switch (2DNS), with a vertical metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structure that includes a semiconducting monolayer crystalline non-metallic atomic sheet sandwiched between a top metal electrode and a bottom metal electrode. The 2DNS is able to perform stable non-volatile resistance switching, including both unipolar and bipolar switching, with a high ON/OFF ratio, low ON resistance, and low operating voltage. The monolayer atomic sheet may include hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) or a transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD), such as MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, or WSe2. The present disclosure also provides methods for synthesizing a semiconducting monolayer crystalline non-metallic atomic sheet on a target substrate. The monolayer atomic sheet may include h-BN or a TMD, such as MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, or WSe2.