For extremely large layouts (>10 GB GDSII), create a quick 25D view by first using Hierarchy > Flatten on selected cells, then reduce detail with Edit > Selection > Convert to polygons with a tolerance of 0.01 µm.
Generate intuitive 3D-like screenshots for design reviews, patent applications, and technical presentations. How to Set Up and Configure the 25D View
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 klayout 25d view
The 2.5D view is purpose-built to strike a balance between insight and performance, offering clear advantages over both traditional 2D and the more intensive full 3D rendering.
So open KLayout, enable OpenGL, assign a height to your metal3 layer, and tilt that view. Your next layout bug – or your next elegant solution – will reveal itself in the third dimension. For extremely large layouts (>10 GB GDSII), create
KLayout provides a simple lighting model: ambient, diffuse, and specular. Under View Settings > 2.5D , you can adjust light direction, intensity, and shadow softness. For debugging, disable shadows for performance.
layout_view.update_3d_view
The 25D View is a specialized visualization mode in KLayout that projects 2D layout shapes into three dimensions by applying thickness and height values to specific layers.
It's called 2.5D because the extrusion is simple: a layer is taken as a flat 2D polygon and pulled straight up to a given height. It does not model complex 3D topography like sloped sidewalls or conformal coatings. It's a "prism" view, not a full solid model. Accessing the 2
The physical height of the material (e.g., in micrometres or nanometres).