  We use ab initio global structural prediction, and specifically the minima
hopping method, to explore the periodic table in search of novel oxide phases.
In total, we study 183 different compositions of the form MXO2, where M=(Cu,
Ag, Au) and X is an element of the periodic table. This set includes the
well-known Cu delafossite compounds that are, up to now, the best p-type
transparent conductive oxides known to mankind. Our calculations discover 81
stable compositions, out of which only 36 are included in available databases.
Some of these new phases are potentially good candidates for transparent
electrodes. These results demonstrate, on one hand, how incomplete is still our
knowledge of the phase-space of stable ternary materials. On the other hand, we
show that structural prediction combined with high-throughput approaches is a
powerful tool to extend that knowledge, paving the way for the experimental
discovery of new materials on a large scale.
