Abstract: A method for testing the reliability of a dielectric film on semiconductor substrate comprises of the steps of: establishing a current value corresponding to a first order, an order being defined as the selected current applied within a preselected set time-increment, in which the current is first applied for testing the reliability of the dielectric film deposited on the semiconductor substrate; applying the established current of the first order to the dielectric film; applying the next current corresponding to each of the subsequent orders until the dielectric film is broken down, wherein the current value corresponding to each of the subsequent orders is increased in steps over the subsequent orders; and measuring the charge value until the dielectric film is broken down, wherein the current value corresponding to each of the orders is divided by a predetermined denominator value and each of the divided values are applied cumulatively in sub-steps with the order to the dielectric film a number of times eq