Klayout 2.5d |link| Jun 2026

It’s important to understand what KLayout 2.5D is not :

Unlike static renders, you can manipulate the view in real-time, tilting the chip to see the sidewall profiles of your trenches or the depth of your silicon etches.

Mastering KLayout 2.5D: Bridging the Gap Between Mask and Reality

: Tilts the view to look under the metal layers. Middle-Click Drag : Pans across the "cityscape" of the chip. Mouse Wheel : Zooms in deep between the gaps. klayout 2.5d

KLayout does not natively export .stl files for 3D printing or EM simulation, but you can script the extraction of polygons with Z-height data.

Instead of toggling layer visibility for the hundredth time, Alex opens the 2.5D View from the menu.

Note: Several community scripts exist on the KLayout GitHub repository specifically for "GDS to STL" or "GDS to VRML" export. It’s important to understand what KLayout 2

Alex stares at the screen. Somewhere between the Metal 1 and Metal 2 layers, a connection is missing. In the standard 2D view, looking down from the top, it’s impossible to tell if a via is actually there or if it’s just a stray rectangle on the wrong layer. Enter the 2.5D View

Example for a standard CMOS process:

Navigate to the 2.5D configuration settings. Here, you must assign a physical thickness (in microns or nanometers) and a vertical offset to each layer in your tech file. Mouse Wheel : Zooms in deep between the gaps

Unlike exporting to a separate 3D tool, KLayout’s 2.5D view is interactive. You can click on structures, measure distances, and query properties without leaving the environment. Selection highlights pop out in 3D space.

It essentially "extrudes" your 2D shapes into the third dimension, allowing you to rotate, zoom, and peer through transparent layers to see how they interact. Key Features of the 2.5D Interface