Cleaning method, cleaning apparatus and electro optical device

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus of organic substances attached to a vapor-deposition mask for low molecular weight organic EL devices comprises a first stage for treating a vapor-deposition mask with a derivative of pyrrolidone, a second stage for rinsing the vapor-deposition mask with water, and a third stage for rinsing the vapor-deposition mask with flowing water. The cleaning apparatus also comprises a fourth stage for treating the vapor-deposition mask with ethanol, a fifth stage for drying the vapor-deposition mask, and a carrying means that carries the vapor-deposition mask to each stage in sequence. It is desirable to adopt N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone as the derivative of pyrrolidone.

1. A cleaning method of removing an organic substance attached to a vapor deposition mask of an electro-optical device, comprising, in order:
 exposing the vapor deposition mask to a derivative of pyrrolidone to remove the organic substance;  
 exposing the vapor deposition mask to water; and  
 exposing the vapor deposition mask to ethanol.  
 
     
     
       2. The cleaning method according to  claim 1  wherein the derivative of pyrrolidone comprises N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. 
     
     
       3. The cleaning method according to  claim 1  wherein the vapor deposition mask is cleaned at room temperature. 
     
     
       4. The cleaning method according to  claim 1  wherein the vapor deposition mask is cleaned while applying ultrasonic waves to the derivative of pyrrolidone. 
     
     
       5. The cleaning method of  claim 1 , wherein the electro-optical device is an organic electro luminescence device. 
     
     
       6. A cleaning method of removing an organic substance attached to a vapor deposition manufacturing device of an electro- optical device, comprising:      exposing the vapor deposition manufacturing device to a derivative of pyrrolidone to remove the organic substance;        wherein the organic substance includes a metallo - organic complex, the metallo - organic complex being one of copper phthalocyanine and tris (   8   - hydroxyquinolinato ) aluminum.     
     
     
       7. The cleaning method of  claim 6 , wherein the derivative of pyrrolidone is selected from the group consisting of  2 - pyrrolidone, N - methyl -   2   - pyrrolidone, and N - vinyl - pyrrolidone.   
     
     
       8. The cleaning method of  claim 6 , wherein the vapor deposition manufacturing device is a vapor deposition mask. 
     
     
       9. The cleaning method of  claim 6 , wherein the vapor deposition manufacturing device comprises a protection plate that prevents evaporated material from attaching to the chamber, the evaporated material being the organic substance. 
     
     
       10. The cleaning method according to  claim 6 , further comprising the step of exposing the vapor deposition manufacturing device to water after removing the organic substance. 
     
     
       11. The cleaning method according to  claim 6 , wherein the vapor deposition manufacturing device is cleaned at room temperature. 
     
     
       12. The cleaning method according to  claim 6 , wherein the vapor deposition manufacturing device is cleaned while applying ultrasonic waves. 
     
     
       13. The cleaning method according to  claim 6 , wherein the derivative of pyrrolidone comprises N- methyl -   2   - pyrrolidone.   
     
     
       14. The cleaning method of  claim 7 , wherein the derivative of pyrrolidone is N- methyl -   2   - pyrrolidone.   
     
     
       15. The cleaning method according to  claim 10 , further comprising the step of exposing the vapor deposition manufacturing device to ethanol after exposing the manufacturing device to water.