The object of this study is to demonstrate that residual stress behaviors in poly(4,4`-oxydiphenylene pyromellitimide) (PMDA-ODA) films which depend on the degree of chain rigidity, thickness change during the curing process and the degree of imidization according to the polyimide morphology transition and solvent evaporation. The comparison of the residual stress in PMDA-ODA thin film formed from different precursor (amic acid and amic ester type) indicates that the residual stress of a polyimide thin film is primarily dependent on the polymer chain rigidity due to thermal expansion properties. And the higher curing temperature of polyimide thin films shows the higher residual stress in tension on the Si wafer substrate.