Al thin films with various residual stress and him thickness were deposited by bias sputtering. Residual stress and relative intensity of the (200) to (111) : plane of Al thin films were measured by x-ray diffraction. When film thickness is fixed at 1 mu m below the residual stress of similar to 80 MPa, AZ thin films have a (111) orientation, but above this stress, a (100) orientation. If Al thin films are in the high residual stress of similar to 145 MPa, crystallographic orientation changes to a (100) from a (111) orientation as film thickness increases to 2 mu m from 1 mu m. However, Al thin films with the residual stress of similar to 25 MPa have a (111) orientation regardless of film thickness. Total energy for Al thin films of a (100) and a (111) orientation was calculated as a function of residual stress and film thickness. These experimental results could be explained by the minimization of the sum of strain energy and surface energy in the films.