a method for enhancing the reliability of contacting the conductive layers in a laminated electrochromic device structure is disclosed . the laminate structure , typically fabricated in the form of a sheet , comprises : two polymer substrates ; two conductive layers — one arranged on each substate — and facing each other ; an electrochromic layer and a counter - electrode layer each arranged on different conductive layers ; and an electrolyte layer interposed between the electrochromic layer and the counter - electrode layer . either an incision with an undulating cutting depth or perforations of predetermined sizes , depths and separations are prefabricated along a desired tear line in the structure — once the final shape of the device is defined — to facilitate the tearing away of the one polymer substrate to reveal the conductive layer to be contacted on the underlying substrate .