An integrated circuit device

An integrated circuit device comprises an active circuit 4 provided in an active circuit area at a surface 5 of a semiconductor body 6, a plurality of bond pads 3 disposed substantially over the active circuit area and electrical connections between the bond pads 3 and the active circuit 4. Each one of the bond pads 3 has a wire-bonding region 23 for bonding a wire 24 and a circuit-connecting region 22 for the electrical connection with the active circuit 4. The active circuit 4 comprises active circuit devices 7, an interconnect structure comprising at least one patterned metal layer disposed in overlying relationship relative to the active circuit devices 7 and a layer 20 of passivating material disposed atop the interconnect structure, through which the electrical connections pass. The layer 20 of passivating material substantially consists of inorganic material and is substantially free from interruptions beneath the wire-bonding region 23 of the bond pads 3. The bond pads 3 and the layer 20 of passivating material have thicknesses that jointly counteract the occurrence of damage to the active circuit 4 during bonding of the wire 24 to the wire-bonding region 23.