Copper-tungsten　films　were　deposited　on　Si　and　Al2O3　substrates　by　magnetron　sputtering　and　then　in　situ　annealed　in　vacuum　chamber　at　different　temperatures.　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　and　the　polarization　phase　shift　technique　were　used　to　characterize　the　microstructure,　surface　morphology,　and　residual　stress　of　Cu-W　films.　The　results　indicated　that　there　are　two　successive　but　distinctive　stages　of　phase　transition　with　the　change　of　annealing　temperatures.　The　evolution　of　surface　morphology　of　Cu-W　thin　films　shows　a　significant　effect　on　the　distribution　of　in-plane　stresses.　A　strategy　of　integrating　discrete　wavelet　transform　and　fractal　geometry　concepts　was　developed　to　analyze　the　anisotropy　of　surface　structure　of　Cu-W　thin　films.　The　correlation　between　the　anisotropy　of　surface　morphology　and　the　stress　distribution　of　thin　films　was　constructed.　It　is　found　that　the　stress　distribution　of　the　thin　films　is　sensitive　to　the　variations　of　the　anisotropy　of　the　surface　structure　with　annealing　temperature.　The　variation　in　the　uniformity　of　in-plane　stress　distribution　with　the　evolution　of　surface　structure　of　thin　films　is　independent　of　the　choice　of　substrate　materials.