An IC product disclosed herein includes a first merged doped source/drain (MDSD) region having an upper surface, a first side surface and a second side surface that intersect one another at a corner of the first merged doped source/drain region, a second MDSD region and a contact trench in an isolation structure positioned between the first and second MDSD regions. The product also includes a conductive gate structure positioned above at least the second MDSD region and a cross-coupled contact structure that comprises a first portion positioned within the contact trench laterally adjacent to and conductively coupled to at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface, and a second portion that is positioned above and conductively coupled to the upper surface of the MDSD region, wherein the cross-coupled contact structure is conductively coupled to the conductive gate structure.