Electrochemical loading/release of hydrogen into a thin-film yttrium ͑Y͒ electrode ͑200 nm͒ capped with a Pd protective layer ͑20 nm͒ is reported and compared with the behavior of the same electrode after removal of the protection. The system is of interest for the development of rare-earth based optical switchable devices. The stripping procedure was done on the previously cycled electrode when the uppermost protective Pd layer had been detached from the yttrium film. The Pd detachment as shown by scanning electron microscopy and chemical analysis of the different areas of the surface made it evident that a Pd remnant was still present on the electrode ͑5-7 nm͒. The electrochemical behavior of such a stripped Y electrode was stable but different from the former protected one and optical switching was observable as well. We discuss the role of the surface protection in optical devices based on hydrides, materials and morphology, and oxidation of the active metal ͑yttrium in our case͒ after the protection failure. It is proposed to use the Pd-containing alloys developed for hydrogen permeation systems in the form of surface patches/gates for hydrogen uptake into the active material and oxidize the rest of the surface to prevent it from further alteration.The recent discovery of optical switching in yttrium and other rare earth metal/alloy hydrides has stimulated an interest in studies of the kinetics and mechanism of this phenomenon with the purpose of employing this effect for optical switching devices. 1-8 In the case of yttrium ͑Y͒ the reversible optical changes are attained between the di-YH 2Ϫ ͑-phase͒ and tri-YH 3Ϫ␥ ͑␥-phase͒ hydrides due to the metal ͑reflecting state͒-semiconductor ͑transparent state͒ transition. Yttrium also posseses the ␣-YH ϳ0.2 phase, or solid solution of hydrogen in the yttrium lattice, which does not play a role in the switchable devices. Hydrogenation of the active metal/alloy can be performed in either hydrogen gas or solution, though the latter ͑when performed under electrochemical control͒ seems to be more reliable.Hydrogenation in a liquid phase is accompanied by some problems, and one of them is the high chemical activity of the rare earth metals 9 toward aqueous electrolytes. The reactivity of yttrium leads to oxidation and transformation of the active layer to either an oxide phase or to complete dissolution. [10][11][12][13] To overcome this uncontrollable and irreversible yttrium oxidation, a protective ͑capping͒ Pd layer was proposed and employed in previous work. The choice was based on the well-known properties of Pd which allow hydrogen transport and its use as a hydrogen membrane. 14 The hydrogenation of Pd was studied in detail ͑for a review, see Ref. 14͒, and it was recognized that this metal posseses the two hydrides, an ␣-phase of a solid-state solution with a H content up to 0.05; and a -phase or true hydride with H content close to 0.7. The electrochemical hydrogen loading into the bimetallic electrode ͑yt-trium covered by a thin palladium cap͒ was studied in ...