Klayout 25d View High Quality
Roll the Scroll Wheel up or down to zoom into fine details or zoom out for a global view.
Think of it as looking at a tiered wedding cake from an angle: you still see each layer’s shape, but you also grasp their vertical sequence and overlap.
| Aspect | Performance / Limitation | |--------|--------------------------| | Polygon count | Up to ~5 million polygons before frame rate drops. Beyond that, use View > 2.5D > Simplify to decimate. | | Texture memory | Each unique layer material uses texture memory. Group layers with identical height/color into one visual layer. | | True 3D navigation | You cannot view from below (z<0) or clip through layers. Elevation is capped at ~89°. | | No cross-sectioning | Can’t generate a live cut plane. For that, use the 2D cross-section tool separately. | klayout 25d view
Because the view relies heavily on OpenGL, graphics drivers can sometimes cause issues, such as the 2D layout disappearing in certain versions.
Adjust the “height” factor in layer properties to exaggerate thickness for better visibility. Roll the Scroll Wheel up or down to
Most plugins feature a "Z-Scale" slider. Because IC layers are extremely thin compared to their lateral width, a ratio looks completely flat. Boosting the Z-scale to
The GDS/OASIS layer map (e.g., 6/0 for Polysilicon). Elevation (Z-Start): The distance from the substrate base ( ) to the bottom of the layer. Beyond that, use View > 2
: It helps visually confirm that vias are correctly spanning the vertical gaps between metal layers.
👉 How to enable: View → 2.5D View (or press Ctrl+Shift+F5 )
The 25D view is not a full solid-modeling engine like those found in mechanical CAD software. Instead, it takes 2D polygons from your GDSII or OASIS layout files and projects them vertically along the Z-axis. Key Advantages
Eliminates the tedious process of exporting to external 3D modeling engines.