Semiconductor device and method of operating the same

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a test circuit including

a test transistor to be tested for time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) characteristics using a stress voltage,

an input switch electrically connected between a voltage application node to which the stress voltage is applied and an input node electrically connected to the test transistor, and

a protection switch electrically connected between the input node and a ground node.

2. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , wherein

the input switch comprises a first transistor gated by an input switch enable signal,

the protection switch comprises a second transistor gated by a protection switch enable signal, and

the protection switch enable signal is an inverted signal of the input switch enable signal.

3. The semiconductor device of claim 2 , wherein the input switch comprises a first gate oxide layer which is thicker than a second gate oxide layer of the test transistor.

4. The semiconductor device of claim 2 , wherein the protection switch comprises a first gate oxide layer which is thicker than a second gate oxide layer of the test transistor.

5. The semiconductor device of claim 2 , further comprising:

a control circuit in a peripheral area outside the test circuit, the control circuit configured to provide the input switch enable signal and the protection switch enable signal.

6. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a voltage generator circuit configured to apply the stress voltage to the voltage application node, wherein the test circuit further comprises a first switch electrically connected between the voltage generator circuit and the voltage application node.

7. The semiconductor device of claim 6 , wherein the first switch comprises a transistor comprising a first gate oxide layer which is thicker than a second gate oxide layer of the test transistor.

8. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a chip pad configured to apply a user stress voltage received from an external source to the voltage application node, wherein the test circuit further comprises a second switch electrically connected between the chip pad and the voltage application node.

9. The semiconductor device of claim 8 , wherein the second switch comprises a transistor comprising a first gate oxide layer which is thicker than a second gate oxide layer of the test transistor.

10. The semiconductor device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a main circuit disposed on a die, wherein the test circuit is disposed on the die and is electrically isolated from the main circuit.

11. A semiconductor device comprising:

a test circuit including

a test transistor to be tested for TDDB characteristics using a stress voltage, and

an input switch electrically connected between a voltage application node to which the stress voltage is applied and an input node electrically connected to the test transistor; and

a main circuit adjacent to the test circuit and electrically isolated from the test circuit,

wherein the input switch includes a first transistor gated by an input switch enable signal, and the input switch includes a first gate oxide layer which is thicker than a second gate oxide layer of the test transistor.

12. The semiconductor device of claim 11 , wherein the test circuit further comprises a protection switch between the input node and a ground node.

13. The semiconductor device of claim 12 , wherein the protection switch comprises a second transistor gated by a protection switch enable signal, and the protection switch enable signal is an inverted signal of the input switch enable signal.

14. The semiconductor device of claim 13 , wherein the protection switch comprises a first gate oxide layer which is thicker than a second gate oxide layer of the test transistor.

15. The semiconductor device of claim 11 , further comprising:

a voltage generator circuit configured to apply the stress voltage to the voltage application node, wherein the test circuit further comprises a first switch electrically connected between the voltage generator circuit and the voltage application node.

16. The semiconductor device of claim 15 , wherein the first switch comprises a transistor comprising a first gate oxide layer which is thicker than a second gate oxide layer of the test transistor.

17. The semiconductor device of claim 11 , further comprising:

a chip pad configured to apply a user stress voltage received from an external source to the voltage application node, wherein the test circuit further comprises a second switch electrically connected between the chip pad and the voltage application node.

18. A semiconductor device comprising:

a test circuit including

a first test pattern comprising a first input switch and a first protection switch, and

a second test pattern comprising a second input switch and a second protection switch; and

a main circuit on a die, the main circuit configured to operate a chip,

wherein

the test circuit is on the die and is electrically isolated from the main circuit,

the first input switch is electrically connected between a first voltage application node to which a first stress voltage is applied and a first input node electrically connected to a first test transistor to be tested for TDDB characteristics,

the first protection switch is electrically connected between the first input node and a first ground node,

the second input switch is electrically connected between a second voltage application node to which a second stress voltage different from the first stress voltage is applied and a second input node configured to transmit the second stress voltage to a second test transistor to be tested for the TDDB characteristics, and

the second protection switch is electrically connected between the second input node and a second ground node.