Mitigating defects in an electrochromic device under a bus bar

A method of fabricating an electrochromic device comprising an electrochromic stack between a first and a second transparent, electronically conductive layer configured to establish an electrical potential across the electrochromic stack and thereby cause optical switching of the electrochromic device, the method comprising:

• (a) receiving a substrate with the first transparent, electronically conductive layer disposed on a surface of the substrate;
• (b) fabricating the electrochromic stack on the first transparent, electronically conductive layer, wherein the electrochromic stack comprises an electrochromic layer and a counter electrode layer;
• (c) forming the second transparent, electronically conductive layer on the electrochromic stack;
• (d) forming a bus bar on a region of the second transparent, electronically conductive layer, wherein the region is over the first transparent, electronically conductive layer;
• and
• (e) performing a short mitigation operation that
• (i) prevents electrical shorts from forming between the second transparent, electronically conductive layer and a layer of the electrochromic device in the region underneath the bus bar, and/or
• (ii) removes electrical shorts that have formed between the second transparent, electronically conductive layer and a layer of the electrochromic device in the region underneath the bus bar,
• wherein (e) is performed without substantially deactivating the electrochromic device in the region under the bus bar after fabricating the electrochromic stack and the second transparent, electronically conductive layer.