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

# QuantumVolume

*class* `qiskit.circuit.library.QuantumVolume(num_qubits, depth=None, seed=None, classical_permutation=True, *, flatten=False)`

[GitHub](https://github.com/Qiskit/qiskit/tree/stable/1.3/qiskit/circuit/library/quantum_volume.py#L25-L130)

Bases: [`QuantumCircuit`](/docs/api/qiskit/1.3/qiskit.circuit.QuantumCircuit "qiskit.circuit.quantumcircuit.QuantumCircuit")

A quantum volume model circuit.

The model circuits are random instances of circuits used to measure the Quantum Volume metric, as introduced in \[1].

The model circuits consist of layers of Haar random elements of SU(4) applied between corresponding pairs of qubits in a random bipartition.

**Reference Circuit:**

![Diagram illustrating the previously described circuit.](https://eu-de.quantum.cloud.ibm.com/docs/images/api/qiskit/1.3/qiskit-circuit-library-QuantumVolume-1.avif)

**Expanded Circuit:**

![Diagram illustrating the previously described circuit.](https://eu-de.quantum.cloud.ibm.com/docs/images/api/qiskit/1.3/qiskit-circuit-library-QuantumVolume-2.avif)

**References:**

\[1] A. Cross et al. Validating quantum computers using randomized model circuits, Phys. Rev. A 100, 032328 (2019). \[[arXiv:1811.12926](https://arxiv.org/abs/1811.12926)]

Create quantum volume model circuit of size num\_qubits x depth.

**Parameters**

- **num\_qubits** ([*int*](https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#int)) – number of active qubits in model circuit.
- **depth** (*Optional\[*[*int*](https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#int)*]*) – layers of SU(4) operations in model circuit.
- **seed** (*Optional\[Union\[*[*int*](https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#int)*, np.random.Generator]]*) – Random number generator or generator seed.
- **classical\_permutation** ([*bool*](https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#bool)) – use classical permutations at every layer, rather than quantum.
- **flatten** ([*bool*](https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#bool)) – If `False` (the default), construct a circuit that contains a single instruction, which in turn has the actual volume structure. If `True`, construct the volume structure directly.

## 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.QuantumVolume.unit "qiskit.circuit.library.QuantumVolume.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.

### global\_phase

The global phase of the current circuit scope in radians.

### instances

Default value: `171`

### 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.QuantumVolume.num_input_vars "qiskit.circuit.library.QuantumVolume.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.QuantumVolume.num_captured_vars "qiskit.circuit.library.QuantumVolume.num_captured_vars") must be zero.

### num\_parameters

The number of parameter objects in the circuit.

### num\_qubits

Return 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.

### 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.

### prefix

Default value: `'circuit'`

### qubits

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

### unit

The unit that [`duration`](#qiskit.circuit.library.QuantumVolume.duration "qiskit.circuit.library.QuantumVolume.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.

### qregs

Type: `list[QuantumRegister]`

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

### cregs

Type: `list[ClassicalRegister]`

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