This review describes recent advances in nondestructive material evaluation of surface layers by leaky Rayleigh wave technique. The phase velocity dispersion as well as attenuation of the leaky Rayleigh wave is sensitive to microstructures of surface layers at suitable frequency of the wave. With this technique, the mass density and Young's moduli of surface layers are estimated. The micro structural changes in surface layers, i. e., precipitation, micro cracks, result in appreciable change in the phase velocity dispersion and attenuation.