The morphology, composition, content of residual ferrite and inclusions in 304L slab surface layer was studied by chemical etching, metallographic test, SEM and EPMA method. The phase transformation of 304L at 1 000-1 600 ℃ was analyzed by JMatPro software. The results show that the solidification mode of 304L stainless steels is Mode FA; the morphology of residual ferrite enriched in Cr and depleted in Ni is skeletal, dot and stick; the average content of residual ferrite is 8.57%; the spherical CaO-SiO2-Al2O3-MgO inclusions are the main inclusion in the surface layer of 304L austenitic stainless steel slab.