Methods are provided for fabricating electrochromic devices that mitigate formation of short circuits under a top bus bar without predetermining where top bus bars will be applied on the device. Devices fabricated using such methods may be deactivated under the top bus bar, or may include active material under the top bus bar. Methods of fabricating devices with active material under a top bus bar include depositing a modified top bus bar, fabricating self-healing layers in the electrochromic device, and modifying a top transparent conductive layer of the device prior to applying bus bars.

Certain embodiments relate to optical devices and methods of fabricating optical devices that pre-treat a sub-layer to enable selective removal of the pre-treated sub-layer and overlying layers. Other embodiments pertain to methods of fabricating an optical device that apply a sacrificial material layer.

An electrochromic (EC) device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a transparent first conductor disposed between the first and second substrates, a transparent second conductor disposed between the first and second substrates, a working electrode disposed between the first and second conductors, a counter electrode disposed between the working electrode and the second conductor, and an electrolyte disposed between the working and counter electrodes. At least one of the first or second conductors is a multipart conductor which includes a transparent first conductive film, a first contact strip extending lengthwise in a first direction which is perpendicular to a second direction, along a first side of the EC device, and first conductive lines extending from the first contact strip toward an opposing second side of the EC device. The multipart conductor has a lower effective sheet resistance in the second direction than in the first direction.

An electro-optic element includes a first electroactive compartment including an electroactive film having a first electroactive component and a second electroactive compartment including an electroactive solution or gel having a second electroactive component. An ion selective material is disposed between the first and second electroactive compartments and is configured to inhibit diffusion of the second electroactive component in an activated state from the second electroactive compartment to the first electroactive compartment. At least one of the first and second electroactive components is electrochromic such that the electro-optic element is configured to reversibly attenuate transmittance of light having a wavelength within a predetermined wavelength range when an electrical potential is applied to the electro-optic element.

A subtractive color change system for displaying a selected color to a viewer and a method of changing color. The system includes a layered assembly having transparent panels of primary and key colors, with a fixed-color background behind the layered assembly. The subtractive color change system may have a control unit to individually control the intensities and values of the primary color panels to render a color and to control the intensities and values of the panels in the layered assembly to reduce differences between the color rendered and the selected color and to display the selected color to a viewer.

A device for enhanced microwave permeability through a coated transparent substrate includes a first surface of the device and a second surface of the device each forming an exterior boundary of the device. The device includes a first section extending through the device from the first surface to the second surface. The first section enhances a permeability of a first microwave band through the coated transparent substrate. The device also includes a second section extending through the device from the first surface to the second surface. The second section enhances a permeability of a second microwave band through the coated transparent substrate. The device further includes a third section extending through the device. The third section includes a location where the first section and the second section merge. The third section enhances a permeability of a third microwave band through the coated transparent substrate.

A monolithic tandem electrochromic device, comprising a central transparent conductor ion blocking layer, a first electrochromic multilayer stack arranged on a first surface of the central transparent conductor ion blocking layer, and a second electrochromic multilayer stack arranged on a second surface of the central transparent conductor ion blocking layer is described. The central transparent conductor ion blocking layer can comprise ion conductivities between 10.sup.−4 and 10.sup.−20 S/cm, and electrical resistivity less than 100 Ohm-cm.

A method of forming an electrochromic (EC) device includes forming a solid-state first electrolyte layer, after forming the solid-state first electrolyte layer, laminating the first solid-state first electrolyte layer between a transparent first substrate and a transparent second substrate such that a transparent first electrode is disposed between the first substrate and a first side of the solid-state first electrolyte layer, and a transparent second electrode is disposed between the second substrate and a second side of the solid-state first electrolyte layer, and applying a sealant to seal the solid-state first electrolyte layer between the first and second substrates and to form the EC device.

An electrochromic device including an electrode layer, an electrochromic layer and a conductive band having a closed ring shape. The electrochromic device having the above structure has excellent color-switching speeds and electrochromic uniformity.

Methods, apparatus, and systems for mitigating pinhole defects in optical devices such as electrochromic windows. One method mitigates a pinhole defect in an electrochromic device by identifying the site of the pinhole defect and obscuring the pinhole to make it less visually discernible. In some cases, the pinhole defect may be the result of mitigating a short-related defect