Run this script, and your 2.5D view configures itself instantly. Problem: The 3D view is completely black. Solution: You are likely looking from inside the substrate. Reset the camera ( View > Reset 3D Camera ). Also, ensure your "Background color" in preferences is not black (set it to dark grey).
height = 0 if name.include?("metal2") height = 60 elsif name.include?("metal1") height = 30 elsif name.include?("poly") height = 10 elsif name.include?("via") height = 20 end layer_info.fill_3d = true layer_info.height_3d = height lv.set_layer(layer_index, layer_info) end klayout 25d view
layout_view.update_3d_view
By spending 10 minutes configuring your layer heights and learning the camera controls, you transform KLayout from a static plotting tool into a dynamic visualization engine. Whether you are verifying a MEMS device, a Silicon Photonics chip, or a standard CMOS block, the "2.5D view" brings your layout to life—literally lifting your polygons off the screen to reveal the true vertical complexity of your design. Run this script, and your 2
In the world of semiconductor design, visualization is just as critical as routing. For decades, chip designers have relied on flat, top-down 2D views to inspect masks and layers. However, as process nodes shrink (28nm, 16nm, 5nm) and vertical stacking (3D-ICs, FinFETs) becomes standard, the traditional planar view often falls short. Reset the camera ( View > Reset 3D Camera )
(often called the "3D preview" or "perspective view" in older versions) works by taking the flat polygons on your mask layers and assigning them a height (Z-value) and a color . When you tilt the camera, you see "walls" rising from the substrate.