This thesis addresses fundamental physical processes which take place at the surface region of a target during and after the interaction with ultra-short laser pulses. The general goal is to bring together different phenomena and discuss the non-equilibrium nature of the interaction of femtosecond laser pulses (Tp < 100 fs) with various materials, in particular dielectrics and semiconductors.Different experiments, using various techniques, are designed to explore the basic mechanisms of laser ionization, defect creation, electron-lattice energetic transfer, charged particles desorption, optical breakdown, phase transformations and surface morphological changes. Such processes are shown to depend strongly on the laser intensity. Thus, they are analyzed for intensities over four orders of magnitude (10 11 -10 14 W/cm 2 ), around the surface optical breakdown (damage) threshold intensity.