Klayout 25d View ~upd~ -

For decades, integrated circuit (IC) and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) designers have relied on two-dimensional (2D) tools to create complex physical layouts. KLayout, the open-source, high-performance layout viewer and editor, has become an industry favorite precisely because of its lightning-fast 2D rendering and robust polygon manipulation. However, as semiconductor technology pushes into advanced nodes (5nm, 3nm) and heterogeneous integration (chiplets, TSVs, and MEMS structures), the limitations of flat, top-down viewing become painfully apparent.

It helps junior designers understand the physical reality of the fabrication process—reminding them that layouts aren't just drawings, but physical stacks of material. klayout 25d view

While KLayout’s 25D view is optimized, it does have constraints: It helps junior designers understand the physical reality

: The viewer works best for small areas (around 100k polygons max). If your layout is huge, zoom into a specific "piece" or area before running the script. Navigation : Right-click + Drag : Rotate the view. Middle-click + Drag : Pan. Mouse Wheel : Zoom. Navigation : Right-click + Drag : Rotate the view

scripts to define material stacks for extrusion, is available on the KLayout 2.5D View Documentation Relevant Academic Paper

: Move, rotate, and zoom through your "3D" chip using camera-based controls. How to Set It Up

: Execute the script via the macro editor's "Run" button or from the Tools > 2.5d View Navigation Right-Click + Drag : Rotate (change azimuth and elevation). Middle-Click + Drag : Move the pivot point. Mouse Wheel : Zoom in and out. Visualization and Appearance Layer Linking