The microstructure of nanoceramics manufactured from plasma-chemical nanostructured powder ZrO2-5wt%Y2O3 using dry uniaxial compaction under powerful ultrasound action was investigated by AFM techniques. It was found that nanoceramic samples have a complicated structuralscale hierarchy: scale levels of crystallites, subgrains, grains and aggregates. Average sizes of the each level elements in sintered ceramics depend on conditions of nanopowder compaction (pressure P and ultrasound power W). The AFM technique allowed to obtain more detailed data related to the microstructure in comparison with ordinary SEM analysis