allows you to visualize 2D layouts as extruded 3D objects, providing a clearer perspective on layer stacks and connectivity. Accessing the 2.5D View Open your layout in the KLayout Editor Navigate to the to open the visualization in a new tab. Navigation Controls The view uses camera-based movement relative to a pivot point (marked by a compass icon): Rotate (Azimuth/Elevation) Right-click + Drag Move Pivot (Up/Down/Left/Right) Middle-click + Drag Move Pivot (Forward/Backward) Mouse Wheel Zoom (Magnify/Shrink) + Mouse Wheel Top-Level View Toggle Keyboard Panning Arrow Keys Keyboard Rotation + Arrow Keys Key Features
So next time you’re hunting for a mysterious short or explaining your floorplan to a colleague, tilt your view, extrude those layers, and see your design rise off the plane. klayout 25d view
In 2.5D and 3D stacked ICs, TSVs are vertical interconnects passing through the silicon. Their shape is circular in 2D, but in 25D view, you can assign a substantial height (e.g., 100 µm) and see how TSVs from different tiers align. In practice, designers use the 25D view to check that landing pads fully encircle via bottoms. allows you to visualize 2D layouts as extruded
# Start Layer 1 at 100nm elevation with 200nm height z(input(1, 0), zstart: 0.1.um, height: 200.nm) # Add Layer 2 for the next 300nm z(input(2, 0), height: 300.nm) Use code with caution. 2. Navigation Controls Use of Snapshots: Save your work in progress
KLayout has long been the industry standard for open-source layout viewing and editing, prized for its speed and extensibility. While traditionally a 2D tool, recent versions have significantly enhanced their 25D (2.5D) visualization capabilities. By leveraging the height property of layers, KLayout transforms flat GDSII/OASIS files into pseudo-3D visualizations. This review explores the utility, performance, and implementation of this feature, concluding that while it is not a full DRC-accurate 3D process simulator, it is an indispensable tool for design architecture visualization and cross-sectional debugging.
: The most comprehensive guide on how the tool functions, including the use of Design Rule Check (DRC)
rather than a true 3D modeler. It uses a script (a variant of a DRC script) to import polygon layers, extrude them, and place them on specific Z-levels. Requirements : To use this view, KLayout must be compiled with OpenGL support Performance : It typically handles up to 100k polygons effectively before performance limitations occur. Integration : Users can export structures from KLayout to tools like 3D-FDTD for component simulation