Patent ID: 7978393

Claim:
A variable reflectance mirror element having a periphery area, the minor element comprising: a first optically transparent substrate including first and second surfaces; a second substrate including third and fourth surfaces and an edge surface adjoining the third and fourth surfaces, the first and second substrates disposed in a parallel and spaced-apart relationship with the second and third surfaces facing one another so as to define a gap therebetween; a first thin-film stack deposited on the second surface, the first thin-film stack containing an optical thin-film band, that is circumferentially disposed at a peripheral area of the second surface, and an optically transparent layer adjoining and overlaying said optical thin-film band; a second thin-film stack covering at least a central portion of the third surface; and an electrochromic medium disposed in the gap, wherein the second thin-film stack includes at least one electrically conductive layer that is electrically extended over the edge surface to the fourth surface through a conductive section.