To make measurable physical property characteristics from the difference between the amplitude qualities of a probe by measuring the surface uneven data from the amplitude waveform of the probe.

Surface shape data 73 at a time (a) of the stop of a sample 2 are measured to obtain uneven data, and by the intermittent operation 8 of an actuator 3, a certain moving quantity sample 2 is relatively moved (b) with respect to a probe 6. Surface shape data 77 are again measured from the average value 76 of the amplitude waveforms 75 of the probe 6 to be set to uneven data at the measuring point thereof. This repetition is performed over the whole range desired to be measured. If high and low parts are present on the same sample, the surface shape data 73, 77 become large at a high part with respect to the whole of a measuring range and become small at a low part and the uneven distribution in the measuring range on the sample is obtained as a surface shape.