Microwave-Induced Resistance Oscillations as a Classical Memory Effect

By numerical simulations and analytical studies, we show that the phenomenon of microwave-induced resistance oscillations can be understood as a classical memory effect caused by recollisions of electrons with scattering centers after a cyclotron period. We develop a Drude-like approach to magnetotransport in the presence of a microwave field, taking into account memory effects, and find an excellent agreement between numerical and analytical results, as well as a qualitative agreement with experiment.