Klayout 25d View

The 2.5D View window flickered to life. Suddenly, the flat modulator wasn't just lines anymore. The silicon photonics layer rose from the floor of the screen like a translucent crystal city. Above it, the metal vias climbed like skyscrapers, reaching toward the passivation layer.

| Aspect | Performance / Limitation | |--------|--------------------------| | Polygon count | Up to ~5 million polygons before frame rate drops. Beyond that, use View > 2.5D > Simplify to decimate. | | Texture memory | Each unique layer material uses texture memory. Group layers with identical height/color into one visual layer. | | True 3D navigation | You cannot view from below (z<0) or clip through layers. Elevation is capped at ~89°. | | No cross-sectioning | Can’t generate a live cut plane. For that, use the 2D cross-section tool separately. | klayout 25d view

The in KLayout is a semi-3D visualization tool that extrudes 2D layout polygons into vertical layers with defined thicknesses. To use it, you must run a script—often a variant of a DRC script —to define the material stack and z-levels. The Architect of Silicon Above it, the metal vias climbed like skyscrapers,