The interaction between a plane wave and a classical charged particle is reviewed in this paper. A
matrix formulation is used to derive the relativistic motion of the particle due to the Lorentz
force of a spatially homogeneous time-harmonic radiation field. The Landau–Lifshitz approach to the
radiation damping force is then investigated for the same field. In conclusion only the radiation
damping accelerates the particle in the direction of the Poynting vector for this type of field. The
Lorentz force only leads to an extra constant drift velocity, plus oscillations with the frequency
of the field.