Klayout 25d View May 2026

Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) requires uniformity. In a 2D layout, it’s hard to gauge density variation. The 25D view, when colored by layer height, gives a pseudo-topographic map. Rapidly alternating tall and short metal regions (poor density) looks like a mountain range, prompting dummy fill insertion.

When training new layout engineers, it is difficult to explain that a "Contact" is a hole in the oxide, not a physical block. In 2.5D, you can set the "Implant" layer to height 1, "Oxide" to height 10 (transparent), and "Contact" to height 11. The student literally sees the contact piercing the oxide. klayout 25d view

To activate the 2.5D view effectively, the following workflow is standard: Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) requires uniformity

Note: KLayout’s exact menu names and plugin availability can vary by version; check the View and Layer dialogs for 3D/2.5D options or install community plugins that add stackup editors. To activate the 2

KLayout exposes its 25D functionality via Ruby and Python APIs. For advanced users, scripts can generate 25D snapshots for documentation or automated review.

# Example KLayout Ruby script to export a 25D view as PNG
view = RBA::Application::instance.main_window.current_view
view.set_config("use-2.5d", "true")
# Set layer heights programmatically
layer_index = view.layer_index_for(LayoutView::Layer.new(1, 0))
view.set_layer_property(layer_index, "2d-height", 0.5)
# Capture image
image = RBA::Image::new(view.max_viewport_width, view.max_viewport_height)
view.render_image(image)
image.save("layout_25d_snapshot.png")

This allows batch processing of multiple layout versions, each with a standardized 45° tilt and lighting setup – perfect for regression visual diff testing.

This is the most scientifically accurate feature for process verification.