Patent ID: 7135868

Claim:
An apparatus for testing a dielectric layer, the apparatus comprising: a first conductive plate; a second conductive plate, the first conductive plate and the second conductive plate being in direct contact with a dielectric layer; a first conductive wire connected to the first conductive plate and biased to a first predetermined voltage; a second conductive wire connected to the second conductive plate and a voltage detector; a fuse connected to the second conductive wire; a third conductive wire connected to the fuse and a device capable of providing a second predetermined voltage and measuring a current; wherein: the fuse can become disconnected if a first current flowing through the fuse reaches or exceeds a first current threshold; the third conductive wire can become disconnected if a second current flowing through the third conductive wire reaches or exceeds a second current threshold; the first current threshold is lower than the second current threshold in magnitude.