ABSTRACT
The craters in poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) differ from those in metals not only in shape, but also in origin. The cavity in metals is formed in expense of a plastic flow while that in PMMA is a result of brittle fracture, formation of crack and ejection of matter in form of splinters. The laser action on PMMA and the results are compared to those of the impact influence on target at the same energies. The evolution of the stressed state within the target and the processes of material's destruction have been studied and the damage zones and the degree of damage of the target material determined. Further analysis of the pattern of the PMMA destruction by the laser impulse demonstrates that the channels formed by the laser action collapse as they move deeper into the target. The areas of intense plastic flow with a highly dispersed structure are formed near the channels.
