Metastable Semimetallic Solid Atomic Phase of Nitrogen

new solid atomic phase of nitrogen, which is dynamically stable at pressures above 20 GPa, has been predicted within the density functional theory. This phase has a low symmetry of the crystal lattice P1̅ and exhibits electronic properties unique for nitrogen crystal structures in the low-pressure region, which are characteristic of semimetals. The structural, energy, mechanical, and electronic properties of this phase are calculated and compared with similar characteristics of the gauche phase of nitrogen.