BlenderGDS

A Blender add-on for importing GDSII layout files with full 3D layer stack visualization and PDK support.

Overview

BlenderGDS enables semiconductor layout visualization by importing GDSII files into Blender with accurate 3D representation of the layer stack. The add-on supports multiple Process Design Kits (PDKs) and provides comprehensive control over the import process, making it ideal for chip design visualization, documentation, and presentations.

Features

• Layer Stack Visualization: Accurate 3D extrusion of all layers based on PDK specifications
• Selective Import: Crop specific chip regions by defining X, Y, width, and height coordinates
• Automatic Scene Setup: Optional initialization of camera, lighting, and chip base plane
• Material System: Realistic materials with proper colors and metallic properties for each layer type
• Collection Organization: Automatic grouping of imported layers into named collections
• Custom Configurations: Support for custom YAML layer stack configurations
• Flexible Scaling: Adjustable unit and Z-axis scaling for different visualization needs
• Merge Layers: Union overlapping shapes on each layer before building the mesh (enabled by default, eliminates black rendering artifacts in Cycles)

Supported PDKs

• IHP Open PDK (SG13G2 & CMOS5L)
• SkyWater SKY130 PDK
• GlobalFoundries GF180MCU PDK

Installation

BlenderGDS requires Blender 4.2 or later. All Python dependencies (gdstk, klayout, numpy, PyYAML) are bundled inside the extension and installed automatically — no pip or terminal required.

Installing from Blender Extensions

1. In Blender, open Edit → Preferences → Get Extensions
2. Search for GDSII Importer
3. Click Install

The extension is now active. No restart needed.

Installing from a release

1. Download the latest import_gdsii-*.zip from the GitHub releases page
2. In Blender, open Edit → Preferences → Get Extensions
3. Click the dropdown in the top-right corner and choose Install from Disk...
4. Select the downloaded .zip file

The extension is now active. No restart needed.

Building from source

1. Clone the repository and build the extension zip:

   git clone https://github.com/aesc-silicon/BlenderGDS
   cd BlenderGDS
   python scripts/build_extension.py

   This downloads wheels for all supported platforms (Linux, Windows, macOS) and produces import_gdsii-*.zip in the repo root.

   If blender is not on your PATH, pass it explicitly:

   python scripts/build_extension.py --blender /path/to/blender

2. Install the resulting .zip as described above.

Updating the extension

To update to a newer version, install the new .zip via Get Extensions → Install from Disk... — Blender will replace the existing installation automatically.

Usage

Basic Import

1. Go to File → Import → GDSII (.gds)
2. Select your desired PDK (currently IHP Open PDK SG13G2)
3. Browse and select your GDSII file
4. Configure import options in the sidebar
5. Click Import GDSII

Import Options

Import Settings

• Unit Scale: GDS database unit scale (default: 1e-6 for micrometers)
• Z Scale: Vertical scaling factor for layer heights
• Create Collection: Group imported layers in a named collection

Scene Setup

• Setup Scene: Automatically create camera, lighting, and chip base plane
  • Adds Sun light with soft shadows
  • Positions camera above the chip center
  • Creates a chip base plane with dark material
  • Configures world background

Crop Region

• Crop to Region: Import only a specific area of the chip
• X, Y: Lower-left corner coordinates in chip units
• Width, Height: Dimensions of the region to import

Layer Configuration

Layer stacks are defined in YAML format:

Metal1:
  index: 8
  type: 0
  z: 0.350
  height: 0.300
  color: [0.45, 0.45, 0.50, 1.0]

Via1:
  index: 19
  type: 0
  z: 0.650
  height: 0.350
  color: [0.90, 0.70, 0.20, 1.0]

Each layer requires:

• index: GDS layer number
• type: GDS datatype
• z: Z-position in micrometers
• height: Layer thickness in micrometers
• color: Layer RGBA values

Parameters

• pdk - Process Design Kit specification (e.g., ihp-sg13g2)
• output_file - Path for the merged output GDS file
• input.gds - Input GDS file to process

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit pull requests or open issues on the GitHub repository.

License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 only. See the LICENSE file for details.

Support

For issues, questions, or suggestions, please open an issue on the GitHub repository.