Patent attributes
Provided are a measuring section (210) including a vibrating contact-type probe having a measuring force detection circuit (219) which detects a measuring force acting to the contact portion (212); a moving unit (a three-dimensional drive mechanism (300), a vertical movement drive mechanism (220)) that moves the measuring section (210) relative to a workpiece surface (S); and a drive control unit (400) that controls the moving unit based on the magnitude of the measuring force output from the measuring force detection circuit (219). The drive control unit (400) includes: a scanning-measurement control section (410) that moves for scanning the contact portion along the workpiece surface (S) with the measuring force maintained at the designated scanning measuring force; and a touching-measurement control section (420) that conducts touching-measurements on the workpiece surface (S) in a repeated manner, in the measurements the contact portion (212) being adapted to intermittently contact the workpiece surface (S) at a touch detecting measuring force.
