Characterization of sputtered semiconductor materials by ultrahigh-intensity postionization has been performed utilizing a high repetition rate, regeneratively amplified, ultrafast Ti-sapphire laser coupled with a modified magnetic-sector SIMS instrument The laser produces 120-fs pulses with focused intensities well in excess of 10 14 W/cm 2 at 800 nm and 1 kHz. Studies of common matrices such as GaAs, InP, InGaAsP, and SiO 2 indicate that both singly and multiply charged ions as well as molecular ions can be detected with high efficiency in both surface analysis and depth-profiling sputtering modes. Relative sensitivity factors for the different elements are determined and related to the photoionization mechanism and to the other factors that can affect the detection efficiency. Future directions for such a technique are discussed.