---
title: PauliTwoDesign (v1.3)
description: API reference for qiskit.circuit.library.PauliTwoDesign in qiskit v1.3
source: https://quantum.cloud.ibm.com/docs/en/api/qiskit/1.3/qiskit.circuit.library.PauliTwoDesign
---

# PauliTwoDesign

*class* `qiskit.circuit.library.PauliTwoDesign(num_qubits=None, reps=3, seed=None, insert_barriers=False, name='PauliTwoDesign')`

[GitHub](https://github.com/Qiskit/qiskit/tree/stable/1.3/qiskit/circuit/library/n_local/pauli_two_design.py#L121-L246)

Bases: [`TwoLocal`](/docs/api/qiskit/1.3/qiskit.circuit.library.TwoLocal "qiskit.circuit.library.n_local.two_local.TwoLocal")

The Pauli Two-Design ansatz.

This class implements a particular form of a 2-design circuit \[1], which is frequently studied in quantum machine learning literature, such as e.g. the investigating of Barren plateaus in variational algorithms \[2].

The circuit consists of alternating rotation and entanglement layers with an initial layer of $\sqrt{H} = RY(\pi/4)$ gates. The rotation layers contain single qubit Pauli rotations, where the axis is chosen uniformly at random to be X, Y or Z. The entanglement layers is compromised of pairwise CZ gates with a total depth of 2.

For instance, the circuit could look like this (but note that choosing a different seed yields different Pauli rotations).

```text
     ┌─────────┐┌──────────┐       ░ ┌──────────┐       ░  ┌──────────┐
q_0: ┤ RY(π/4) ├┤ RZ(θ[0]) ├─■─────░─┤ RY(θ[4]) ├─■─────░──┤ RZ(θ[8]) ├
     ├─────────┤├──────────┤ │     ░ ├──────────┤ │     ░  ├──────────┤
q_1: ┤ RY(π/4) ├┤ RZ(θ[1]) ├─■──■──░─┤ RY(θ[5]) ├─■──■──░──┤ RX(θ[9]) ├
     ├─────────┤├──────────┤    │  ░ ├──────────┤    │  ░ ┌┴──────────┤
q_2: ┤ RY(π/4) ├┤ RX(θ[2]) ├─■──■──░─┤ RY(θ[6]) ├─■──■──░─┤ RX(θ[10]) ├
     ├─────────┤├──────────┤ │     ░ ├──────────┤ │     ░ ├───────────┤
q_3: ┤ RY(π/4) ├┤ RZ(θ[3]) ├─■─────░─┤ RX(θ[7]) ├─■─────░─┤ RY(θ[11]) ├
     └─────────┘└──────────┘       ░ └──────────┘       ░ └───────────┘
```

**Examples**

```python
from qiskit.circuit.library import PauliTwoDesign
circuit = PauliTwoDesign(4, reps=2, seed=5, insert_barriers=True)
circuit.draw('mpl')
```

![Circuit diagram output by the previous code.](https://quantum.cloud.ibm.com/docs/images/api/qiskit/1.3/qiskit-circuit-library-PauliTwoDesign-1.avif)

> **See also**
>
> The `pauli_two_design()` function constructs the functionally same circuit, but faster.

**References**

**\[1]: Nakata et al., Unitary 2-designs from random X- and Z-diagonal unitaries.**

[arXiv:1502.07514](https://arxiv.org/pdf/1502.07514.pdf)

**\[2]: McClean et al., Barren plateaus in quantum neural network training landscapes.**

[arXiv:1803.11173](https://arxiv.org/pdf/1803.11173.pdf)

> **Deprecated since version 1.3\_pending**
>
> The class `qiskit.circuit.library.n_local.pauli_two_design.PauliTwoDesign` is pending deprecation as of qiskit 1.3. It will be marked deprecated in a future release, and then removed no earlier than 3 months after the release date. Use the function qiskit.circuit.library.pauli\_two\_design instead.

**Parameters**

- **num\_qubits** ([*int*](https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#int) *| None*) – The number of qubits of the Pauli Two-Design circuit.
- **reps** ([*int*](https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#int)) – Specifies how often a block consisting of a rotation layer and entanglement layer is repeated.
- **seed** ([*int*](https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#int) *| None*) – The seed for randomly choosing the axes of the Pauli rotations.
- **insert\_barriers** ([*bool*](https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#bool)) – If `True`, barriers are inserted in between each layer. If `False`, no barriers are inserted. Defaults to `False`.
- **name** ([*str*](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#str)) –

## Attributes

### ancillas

A list of `AncillaQubit`s in the order that they were added. You should not mutate this.

### calibrations

Return calibration dictionary.

The custom pulse definition of a given gate is of the form `{'gate_name': {(qubits, params): schedule}}`

> **Deprecated since version 1.3**
>
> The property `qiskit.circuit.quantumcircuit.QuantumCircuit.calibrations` is deprecated as of Qiskit 1.3. It will be removed in Qiskit 2.0. The entire Qiskit Pulse package is being deprecated and will be moved to the Qiskit Dynamics repository: [https://github.com/qiskit-community/qiskit-dynamics](https://github.com/qiskit-community/qiskit-dynamics). Note that once removed, `qiskit.circuit.quantumcircuit.QuantumCircuit.calibrations` will have no alternative in Qiskit.

### clbits

A list of `Clbit`s in the order that they were added. You should not mutate this.

### data

The circuit data (instructions and context).

**Returns**

a list-like object containing the [`CircuitInstruction`](/docs/api/qiskit/1.3/qiskit.circuit.CircuitInstruction "qiskit.circuit.CircuitInstruction")s for each instruction.

**Return type**

QuantumCircuitData

### duration

The total duration of the circuit, set by a scheduling transpiler pass. Its unit is specified by [`unit`](#qiskit.circuit.library.PauliTwoDesign.unit "qiskit.circuit.library.PauliTwoDesign.unit").

> **Deprecated since version 1.3.0**
>
> The property `qiskit.circuit.quantumcircuit.QuantumCircuit.duration` is deprecated as of qiskit 1.3.0. It will be removed in Qiskit 2.0.0.

### entanglement

Get the entanglement strategy.

**Returns**

The entanglement strategy, see `get_entangler_map()` for more detail on how the format is interpreted.

### entanglement\_blocks

The blocks in the entanglement layers.

**Returns**

The blocks in the entanglement layers.

### flatten

Returns whether the circuit is wrapped in nested gates/instructions or flattened.

### global\_phase

The global phase of the current circuit scope in radians.

### initial\_state

Return the initial state that is added in front of the n-local circuit.

**Returns**

The initial state.

### insert\_barriers

If barriers are inserted in between the layers or not.

**Returns**

`True`, if barriers are inserted in between the layers, `False` if not.

### instances

Default value: `200`

### layout

Return any associated layout information about the circuit

This attribute contains an optional [`TranspileLayout`](/docs/api/qiskit/1.3/qiskit.transpiler.TranspileLayout "qiskit.transpiler.TranspileLayout") object. This is typically set on the output from [`transpile()`](/docs/api/qiskit/1.3/compiler#qiskit.compiler.transpile "qiskit.compiler.transpile") or [`PassManager.run()`](/docs/api/qiskit/1.3/qiskit.transpiler.PassManager#run "qiskit.transpiler.PassManager.run") to retain information about the permutations caused on the input circuit by transpilation.

There are two types of permutations caused by the [`transpile()`](/docs/api/qiskit/1.3/compiler#qiskit.compiler.transpile "qiskit.compiler.transpile") function, an initial layout which permutes the qubits based on the selected physical qubits on the [`Target`](/docs/api/qiskit/1.3/qiskit.transpiler.Target "qiskit.transpiler.Target"), and a final layout which is an output permutation caused by [`SwapGate`](/docs/api/qiskit/1.3/qiskit.circuit.library.SwapGate "qiskit.circuit.library.SwapGate")s inserted during routing.

### metadata

Arbitrary user-defined metadata for the circuit.

Qiskit will not examine the content of this mapping, but it will pass it through the transpiler and reattach it to the output, so you can track your own metadata.

### num\_ancillas

Return the number of ancilla qubits.

### num\_captured\_vars

The number of real-time classical variables in the circuit marked as captured from an enclosing scope.

This is the length of the `iter_captured_vars()` iterable. If this is non-zero, [`num_input_vars`](#qiskit.circuit.library.PauliTwoDesign.num_input_vars "qiskit.circuit.library.PauliTwoDesign.num_input_vars") must be zero.

### num\_clbits

Return number of classical bits.

### num\_declared\_vars

The number of real-time classical variables in the circuit that are declared by this circuit scope, excluding inputs or captures.

This is the length of the `iter_declared_vars()` iterable.

### num\_input\_vars

The number of real-time classical variables in the circuit marked as circuit inputs.

This is the length of the `iter_input_vars()` iterable. If this is non-zero, [`num_captured_vars`](#qiskit.circuit.library.PauliTwoDesign.num_captured_vars "qiskit.circuit.library.PauliTwoDesign.num_captured_vars") must be zero.

### num\_layers

Return the number of layers in the n-local circuit.

**Returns**

The number of layers in the circuit.

### num\_parameters

The number of parameter objects in the circuit.

### num\_parameters\_settable

Return the number of settable parameters.

**Returns**

The number of possibly distinct parameters.

### num\_qubits

Returns the number of qubits in this circuit.

**Returns**

The number of qubits.

### num\_vars

The number of real-time classical variables in the circuit.

This is the length of the `iter_vars()` iterable.

### op\_start\_times

Return a list of operation start times.

This attribute is enabled once one of scheduling analysis passes runs on the quantum circuit.

**Returns**

List of integers representing instruction start times. The index corresponds to the index of instruction in `QuantumCircuit.data`.

**Raises**

[**AttributeError**](https://docs.python.org/3/library/exceptions.html#AttributeError) – When circuit is not scheduled.

### ordered\_parameters

The parameters used in the underlying circuit.

This includes float values and duplicates.

**Examples**

```python
>>> # prepare circuit ...
>>> print(nlocal)
     ┌───────┐┌──────────┐┌──────────┐┌──────────┐
q_0: ┤ Ry(1) ├┤ Ry(θ[1]) ├┤ Ry(θ[1]) ├┤ Ry(θ[3]) ├
     └───────┘└──────────┘└──────────┘└──────────┘
>>> nlocal.parameters
{Parameter(θ[1]), Parameter(θ[3])}
>>> nlocal.ordered_parameters
[1, Parameter(θ[1]), Parameter(θ[1]), Parameter(θ[3])]
```

**Returns**

The parameters objects used in the circuit.

### parameter\_bounds

The parameter bounds for the unbound parameters in the circuit.

**Returns**

A list of pairs indicating the bounds, as (lower, upper). None indicates an unbounded parameter in the corresponding direction. If `None` is returned, problem is fully unbounded.

### parameters

The parameters defined in the circuit.

This attribute returns the [`Parameter`](/docs/api/qiskit/1.3/qiskit.circuit.Parameter "qiskit.circuit.Parameter") objects in the circuit sorted alphabetically. Note that parameters instantiated with a [`ParameterVector`](/docs/api/qiskit/1.3/qiskit.circuit.ParameterVector "qiskit.circuit.ParameterVector") are still sorted numerically.

**Examples**

The snippet below shows that insertion order of parameters does not matter.

```python
>>> from qiskit.circuit import QuantumCircuit, Parameter
>>> a, b, elephant = Parameter("a"), Parameter("b"), Parameter("elephant")
>>> circuit = QuantumCircuit(1)
>>> circuit.rx(b, 0)
>>> circuit.rz(elephant, 0)
>>> circuit.ry(a, 0)
>>> circuit.parameters  # sorted alphabetically!
ParameterView([Parameter(a), Parameter(b), Parameter(elephant)])
```

Bear in mind that alphabetical sorting might be unintuitive when it comes to numbers. The literal “10” comes before “2” in strict alphabetical sorting.

```python
>>> from qiskit.circuit import QuantumCircuit, Parameter
>>> angles = [Parameter("angle_1"), Parameter("angle_2"), Parameter("angle_10")]
>>> circuit = QuantumCircuit(1)
>>> circuit.u(*angles, 0)
>>> circuit.draw()
   ┌─────────────────────────────┐
q: ┤ U(angle_1,angle_2,angle_10) ├
   └─────────────────────────────┘
>>> circuit.parameters
ParameterView([Parameter(angle_1), Parameter(angle_10), Parameter(angle_2)])
```

To respect numerical sorting, a [`ParameterVector`](/docs/api/qiskit/1.3/qiskit.circuit.ParameterVector "qiskit.circuit.ParameterVector") can be used.

```python
>>> from qiskit.circuit import QuantumCircuit, Parameter, ParameterVector
>>> x = ParameterVector("x", 12)
>>> circuit = QuantumCircuit(1)
>>> for x_i in x:
...     circuit.rx(x_i, 0)
>>> circuit.parameters
ParameterView([
    ParameterVectorElement(x[0]), ParameterVectorElement(x[1]),
    ParameterVectorElement(x[2]), ParameterVectorElement(x[3]),
    ..., ParameterVectorElement(x[11])
])
```

**Returns**

The sorted [`Parameter`](/docs/api/qiskit/1.3/qiskit.circuit.Parameter "qiskit.circuit.Parameter") objects in the circuit.

### preferred\_init\_points

The initial points for the parameters. Can be stored as initial guess in optimization.

**Returns**

The initial values for the parameters, or None, if none have been set.

### prefix

Default value: `'circuit'`

### qregs

Type: `list[QuantumRegister]`

A list of the `QuantumRegister`s in this circuit. You should not mutate this.

### qubits

A list of `Qubit`s in the order that they were added. You should not mutate this.

### reps

The number of times rotation and entanglement block are repeated.

**Returns**

The number of repetitions.

### rotation\_blocks

The blocks in the rotation layers.

**Returns**

The blocks in the rotation layers.

### unit

The unit that [`duration`](#qiskit.circuit.library.PauliTwoDesign.duration "qiskit.circuit.library.PauliTwoDesign.duration") is specified in.

> **Deprecated since version 1.3.0**
>
> The property `qiskit.circuit.quantumcircuit.QuantumCircuit.unit` is deprecated as of qiskit 1.3.0. It will be removed in Qiskit 2.0.0.

### name

Type: `str`

A human-readable name for the circuit.

### cregs

Type: `list[ClassicalRegister]`

A list of the `ClassicalRegister`s in this circuit. You should not mutate this.