We present an experimental study of the dynamics of rapid moving cracks in brittle heterogeneous amorphous polymers. We first compare some of the features of dynamic fracture in heterogeneous and homogeneous materials, including the micro branching instability. We then characterize the influence of the sample geometry on the onset of crack branching to unravel the possible influence of the elastic wave field on this instability. Finally analyze the roughening properties of the crack front in correlation with a model identifying the dynamically growing front with an elastodynamic line in a random media.
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