Optically transparent laminated structures having high toughness

A method comprising:

• forming a polymer multilayer including two or more laminated layers of ultra-drawn, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene or ultra-drawn high density polyethylene over a substrate;
• and
• processing the polymer multilayer to cause contraction of polymer chains within the polymer multilayer along an in-plane direction, wherein the contraction creates a compressive stress in a near surface region of the substrate.

An optically transparent laminated structure comprising:

• a transparent substrate;
• and
• a polymer multilayer disposed over the transparent substrate, wherein the polymer multilayer comprises two or more layers of ultra-drawn, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene or ultra-drawn high density polyethylene.