Abstract: Classical dynamics of an electron driven by a circularly polarized light beam and classical micromechanism of the inverse Faraday effect （IFE） in metals are studied. The orbit of the electron is a solenoid. Neglecting the effect of the magnetic field in the light beam, the electron moves along a helix of elliptic cross section, with axis parallel to its initial velocity. The motion of the electron generates a magnetic monent which sign is decided by the chirality of circularly polarized light. For a free electron gas with isotropic distribution in the velocity,the average of magnetic moments per unit volume yields a stationary magnetization identical to that given by Hertel.

Key words: Faraday effect, inverse Faraday effect, circularly polarized light