The Ti-TiN-Zr-ZrN multilayer films with different modulation periods, different R-Ti/TiN:R-Zr/ZrN modulation ratios and different thickness were deposited on TC11 titanium alloy and Si wafer by vacuum cathodic arc ion plating. The structure and performance of the multilayer films, especially residual stress were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction(XRD), micro-hardness tester, scratch adhesion tester and stress gauge. The results show that when the modulation period is increased, the residual stress decreases, and the adhesive strength and the hardness increase. When reducing R-Ti/TiN:R-Zr/ZrN modulation ratio, the residual stress and the hardness increase, while the adhesive strength decreases. When increasing the thickness of multilayer films, the residual stress increases slightly, and the adhesion and the hardness are improved. The film's hardness is around 30 GPa when its thickness is up to 7.54 mu m.