An integrated circuit comprising a first field effect transistor formed in a semiconductor material layer on an insulating layer in a supporting semiconductor substrate, and a second field effect transistor formed in said semiconductor substrate adjacent to said first field effect transistor, said second field effect transistor forming an element in an electrostatic discharge protection circuit, each transistor having a source region, a drain region, and a channel region between said source region and said drain region, said channel region of said first field effect transistor being recessed in height below said source region and said drain region of said first field effect transistor, whereby said first field effect transistor and said second field effect transistor have different threshold voltages.