Few-mode geometric description of a driven-dissipative phase transition in an open quantum system

By example of the nonlinear Kerr-mode driven by a laser, we show that hysteresis phenomena in systems featuring a driven-dissipative phase transition (DPT) can be accurately described in terms of just two collective, dissipative Liouvillian eigenmodes. The key quantities are just two components of a nonabelian geometric connection, even though a single parameter is driven. This powerful geometric approach considerably simplifies the description of driven-dissipative phase transitions, extending the range of computationally accessible parameter regimes, and providing a new starting point for both experimental studies and analytical insights.