Patent ID: 8506096

Claim:
A variable reflectance mirror reflective element suitable for use in a vehicular exterior rearview minor assembly, said minor reflective element comprising: a front substrate and a rear substrate and an electrochromic medium disposed between said front and rear substrates; wherein said front substrate has a first surface and a second surface; said second surface of said front substrate having a transparent electrically conductive layer disposed thereat; wherein said rear substrate has a third surface and a fourth surface; a mirror reflector disposed at at least a portion of said third surface of said rear substrate; wherein said minor reflector comprises a stack of thin films and wherein said stack of thin films comprises at least one metal thin film; wherein said minor reflector has a sheet resistance of less than about 5 ohms per square; wherein at least one film of said stack of films comprises a material that has a specific resistivity of less than about 1×10 −2 ohm·cm; wherein said electrochromic medium is disposed in an interpane cavity established between said third surface of said rear substrate and said second surface of said front substrate and bounded by a perimeter seal; wherein no part of said rear substrate extends beyond any part of said front substrate; wherein a perimeter layer is disposed at said second surface of said front substrate proximate a perimeter edge of said front substrate; wherein said perimeter layer generally conceals said perimeter seal from view by a person viewing through said front substrate; and wherein light that reflects off of said mirror reflector and passes through said electrochromic medium and said front substrate has a substantially untinted reflectant characteristic to a person viewing said mirror reflective element when no voltage is applied to said electrochromic medium.