diff --git a/cirq-google/cirq_google/devices/grid_device.py b/cirq-google/cirq_google/devices/grid_device.py
index 07bb8d401d10..27e06df3979d 100644
--- a/cirq-google/cirq_google/devices/grid_device.py
+++ b/cirq-google/cirq_google/devices/grid_device.py
@@ -26,6 +26,18 @@
 from cirq_google.experimental import ops as experimental_ops
 
 
+SYC_GATE_FAMILY = cirq.GateFamily(ops.SYC)
+SQRT_ISWAP_GATE_FAMILY = cirq.GateFamily(cirq.SQRT_ISWAP)
+SQRT_ISWAP_INV_GATE_FAMILY = cirq.GateFamily(cirq.SQRT_ISWAP_INV)
+CZ_GATE_FAMILY = cirq.GateFamily(cirq.CZ)
+PHASED_XZ_GATE_FAMILY = cirq.GateFamily(cirq.PhasedXZGate)
+VIRTUAL_ZPOW_GATE_FAMILY = cirq.GateFamily(cirq.ZPowGate, tags_to_ignore=[ops.PhysicalZTag()])
+PHYSICAL_ZPOW_GATE_FAMILY = cirq.GateFamily(cirq.ZPowGate, tags_to_accept=[ops.PhysicalZTag()])
+COUPLER_PULSE_GATE_FAMILY = cirq.GateFamily(experimental_ops.CouplerPulse)
+MEASUREMENT_GATE_FAMILY = cirq.GateFamily(cirq.MeasurementGate)
+WAIT_GATE_FAMILY = cirq.GateFamily(cirq.WaitGate)
+
+
 def _validate_device_specification(proto: v2.device_pb2.DeviceSpecification) -> None:
     """Raises a ValueError if the `DeviceSpecification` proto is invalid."""
 
@@ -459,31 +471,32 @@ def _value_equality_values_(self):
 def _set_gate_in_gate_spec(
     gate_spec: v2.device_pb2.GateSpecification, gate_family: cirq.GateFamily
 ) -> None:
-    if gate_family == cirq.GateFamily(ops.SYC):
+    if gate_family == SYC_GATE_FAMILY:
         gate_spec.syc.SetInParent()
-    elif gate_family == cirq.GateFamily(cirq.SQRT_ISWAP):
+    elif gate_family == SQRT_ISWAP_GATE_FAMILY:
         gate_spec.sqrt_iswap.SetInParent()
-    elif gate_family == cirq.GateFamily(cirq.SQRT_ISWAP_INV):
+    elif gate_family == SQRT_ISWAP_INV_GATE_FAMILY:
         gate_spec.sqrt_iswap_inv.SetInParent()
-    elif gate_family == cirq.GateFamily(cirq.CZ):
+    elif gate_family == CZ_GATE_FAMILY:
         gate_spec.cz.SetInParent()
-    elif gate_family == cirq.GateFamily(cirq.PhasedXZGate):
+    elif gate_family == PHASED_XZ_GATE_FAMILY:
         gate_spec.phased_xz.SetInParent()
-    elif gate_family == cirq.GateFamily(cirq.ZPowGate, tags_to_ignore=[ops.PhysicalZTag()]):
+    elif gate_family == VIRTUAL_ZPOW_GATE_FAMILY:
         gate_spec.virtual_zpow.SetInParent()
-    elif gate_family == cirq.GateFamily(cirq.ZPowGate, tags_to_accept=[ops.PhysicalZTag()]):
+    elif gate_family == PHYSICAL_ZPOW_GATE_FAMILY:
         gate_spec.physical_zpow.SetInParent()
-    elif gate_family == cirq.GateFamily(experimental_ops.CouplerPulse):
+    elif gate_family == COUPLER_PULSE_GATE_FAMILY:
         gate_spec.coupler_pulse.SetInParent()
-    elif gate_family == cirq.GateFamily(cirq.MeasurementGate):
+    elif gate_family == MEASUREMENT_GATE_FAMILY:
         gate_spec.meas.SetInParent()
-    elif gate_family == cirq.GateFamily(cirq.WaitGate):
+    elif gate_family == WAIT_GATE_FAMILY:
         gate_spec.wait.SetInParent()
     else:
         raise ValueError(f'Unrecognized gate {gate_family}.')
 
 
-def to_proto(
+def create_device_specification_proto(
+    *,
     qubits: Collection[cirq.GridQubit],
     pairs: Collection[Tuple[cirq.GridQubit, cirq.GridQubit]],
     gateset: cirq.Gateset,
@@ -519,9 +532,8 @@ def to_proto(
         out = v2.device_pb2.DeviceSpecification()
 
     # If fields are already filled (i.e. as part of the old DeviceSpecification format), leave them
-    # as is.
-    # Fields populated in the new format do not conflict with how they were populated in the old
-    # format.
+    # as is. Fields populated in the new format do not conflict with how they were populated in the
+    # old format.
     # TODO(#5050) remove empty checks below once deprecated fields in DeviceSpecification are
     # removed.
 
diff --git a/cirq-google/cirq_google/devices/grid_device_test.py b/cirq-google/cirq_google/devices/grid_device_test.py
index 2b15fe40837f..bc0678447c26 100644
--- a/cirq-google/cirq_google/devices/grid_device_test.py
+++ b/cirq-google/cirq_google/devices/grid_device_test.py
@@ -372,11 +372,11 @@ def test_to_proto():
         cirq.GateFamily(cirq.ops.wait_gate.WaitGate): base_duration * 9,
     }
 
-    spec = grid_device.to_proto(
-        device_info.grid_qubits,
-        device_info.qubit_pairs,
-        cirq.Gateset(*gate_durations.keys()),
-        gate_durations,
+    spec = grid_device.create_device_specification_proto(
+        qubits=device_info.grid_qubits,
+        pairs=device_info.qubit_pairs,
+        gateset=cirq.Gateset(*gate_durations.keys()),
+        gate_durations=gate_durations,
     )
 
     assert text_format.MessageToString(spec) == text_format.MessageToString(expected_spec)
@@ -412,7 +412,9 @@ def test_to_proto():
 )
 def test_to_proto_invalid_input(error_match, qubits, qubit_pairs, gateset, gate_durations):
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=error_match):
-        grid_device.to_proto(qubits, qubit_pairs, gateset, gate_durations)
+        grid_device.create_device_specification_proto(
+            qubits=qubits, pairs=qubit_pairs, gateset=gateset, gate_durations=gate_durations
+        )
 
 
 def test_to_proto_backward_compatibility():
@@ -449,12 +451,12 @@ def test_to_proto_backward_compatibility():
     )
 
     # Serialize the new way
-    grid_device.to_proto(
-        device_info.grid_qubits,
-        device_info.qubit_pairs,
-        cirq.Gateset(*gate_durations.keys()),
-        gate_durations,
-        spec,
+    grid_device.create_device_specification_proto(
+        qubits=device_info.grid_qubits,
+        pairs=device_info.qubit_pairs,
+        gateset=cirq.Gateset(*gate_durations.keys()),
+        gate_durations=gate_durations,
+        out=spec,
     )
 
     # Deserialize both ways
@@ -487,7 +489,7 @@ def test_to_proto_backward_compatibility():
 
 
 def test_to_proto_empty():
-    spec = grid_device.to_proto(
+    spec = grid_device.create_device_specification_proto(
         # Qubits are always expected to be set
         qubits=[cirq.GridQubit(0, i) for i in range(5)],
         pairs=[],
diff --git a/cirq-google/cirq_google/devices/known_devices.py b/cirq-google/cirq_google/devices/known_devices.py
index 2f7e127e1cca..ebd40f992f74 100644
--- a/cirq-google/cirq_google/devices/known_devices.py
+++ b/cirq-google/cirq_google/devices/known_devices.py
@@ -184,12 +184,24 @@ def create_device_proto_for_qubits(
 def populate_qubits_in_device_proto(
     qubits: Collection[cirq.Qid], out: device_pb2.DeviceSpecification
 ) -> None:
+    """Populates `DeviceSpecification.valid_qubits` with the device's qubits.
+
+    Args:
+        qubits: The collection of the device's qubits.
+        out: The `DeviceSpecification` to be populated.
+    """
     out.valid_qubits.extend(v2.qubit_to_proto_id(q) for q in qubits)
 
 
 def populate_qubit_pairs_in_device_proto(
     pairs: Collection[Tuple[cirq.Qid, cirq.Qid]], out: device_pb2.DeviceSpecification
 ) -> None:
+    """Populates `DeviceSpecification.valid_targets` with the device's qubit pairs.
+
+    Args:
+        pairs: The collection of the device's bi-directional qubit pairs.
+        out: The `DeviceSpecification` to be populated.
+    """
     grid_targets = out.valid_targets.add()
     grid_targets.name = _2_QUBIT_TARGET_SET
     grid_targets.target_ordering = device_pb2.TargetSet.SYMMETRIC