Review of principles and research progress of precision measurement methods based on wavefront interference imaging

Advanced manufacturing, precision metrology, space exploration, and other fields increasingly rely on multi-degree-of-freedom (multi-DOF) and high-precision measurements. The demands of such measurement systems—structural complexity, systematic error control, and information decoupling—have challenged traditional interferometric techniques. Wavefront interference imaging, which integrates laser interferometry with image analysis, has emerged as an advanced technique capable of subnanometer displacement and submicroradian angular resolution using a single laser beam. This method has gained importance in multi-DOF measurement technologies because it simultaneously obtains ultra-precise multi-DOF measurements with a compact setup, strong decoupling capability, and high integrability. This review systematically examines the development of wavefront interference imaging. Beginning with physical modeling of interference fringes, it traces the evolution of representative measurement models from two-dimensional to six-DOF configurations and analyzes the potential integration of this technique with emerging deep learning–based fringe processing methods. The paper further discusses frequency and phase decoupling algorithms in both the spatial and spectral domains and summarizes recent applications of this technology to nanometric coordinate measurements, atomic force microscopy, laser leveling, and spacecraft systems. The transition of wavefront interference imaging, from single-DOF extraction to coupled modeling and real-time resolution of multi-DOFs, demonstrates the excellent system scalability and application potential of this technology. This review aims to establish a theoretical framework and developmental roadmap for wavefront interference imaging, facilitating the advancement of high-precision, high-dimensional measurement systems in related domains.