Klayout: 25d View

For decades, integrated circuit (IC) layout engineers have relied on two-dimensional, top-down views to design chips. But as process nodes shrink and designs grow in complexity, a purely planar perspective often obscures critical relationships between layers. This is where comes into play.

The 2.5D window uses a camera-based navigation system relative to a pivot point marked by a compass icon. Drag with Right Mouse Button Move Pivot (Up/Down/Left/Right) Drag with Middle Mouse Button Move Pivot (Forward/Backward) Mouse Wheel Zoom (Magnify/Shrink) Ctrl + Mouse Wheel Top-Down View Toggle Press and Hold Shift Scaling the Z-Axis klayout 25d view

: Navigate to Tools > 2.5d View > New 2.5d Script to open a template in the macro editor. For decades, integrated circuit (IC) layout engineers have

, this feature is a significant part of the KLayout open-source project, which is frequently cited in research involving layout verification and Electronic Design Automation (EDA). Key Technical Documentation and References klayout 25d view

KLayout’s 25D view is a , but it should not be treated as a DRC verification tool. It bridges the gap between the abstract colored polygons of a 2D editor and the physical reality of a silicon die.