Using electrical current measurement to determine alignment of integrated circuit structures during bonding

A method, comprising:

• forming a first device and a first bonding structure over a first substrate, wherein the first bonding structure comprises a first alignment feature;
• forming a second device and a second bonding structure over a second substrate, wherein the second bonding structure comprises a second alignment feature;
• moving the first bonding structure on the first substrate toward the second bonding structure on the second substrate, such that the first alignment feature is close to the second alignment feature;
• determining whether a tunneling current occurs from the first alignment feature to the second alignment feature;
• and
• bonding the first bonding structure on the first substrate with the second bonding structure on the second substrate in response to a determination that the tunneling current is occurring or has occurred.

A device, comprising:

• a first device that includes a plurality of first transistors;
• a first bonding structure disposed over the first device, wherein the first bonding structure includes a first dielectric layer and a first alignment component that extends vertically through the first dielectric layer in a cross-sectional side view, and wherein a surface of the first alignment component protrudes out of the first dielectric layer in the cross-sectional side view;
• a second device that includes a plurality of second transistors;
• and
• a second bonding structure disposed over the second device, wherein the second bonding structure includes a second dielectric layer and a second alignment component that extends vertically through the second dielectric layer in the cross-sectional side view, wherein a surface of the second alignment component is recessed relative to a surface of the second dielectric layer in the cross-sectional side view, and wherein the first bonding structure is bonded to the second bonding structure such that the surface of the first alignment component extends to the surface of the second alignment component.