mlsanityData to 14 Oct 2026

A Systematic Survey of Deep Learning-based Single-Image Super-Resolution

arXiv 2109.14335 ↗First posted 29 Sep 2021eess.IV cs.CVcited by 19

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Abstract (arXiv)

Single-image super-resolution (SISR) is an important task in image processing, which aims to enhance the resolution of imaging systems. Recently, SISR has made a huge leap and has achieved promising results with the help of deep learning (DL). In this survey, we give an overview of DL-based SISR methods and group them according to their design targets. Specifically, we first introduce the problem definition, research background, and the significance of SISR. Secondly, we introduce some related works, including benchmark datasets, upsampling methods, optimization objectives, and image quality assessment methods. Thirdly, we provide a detailed investigation of SISR and give some domain-specific applications of it. Fourthly, we present the reconstruction results of some classic SISR methods to intuitively know their performance. Finally, we discuss some issues that still exist in SISR and summarize some new trends and future directions. This is an exhaustive survey of SISR, which can help researchers better understand SISR and inspire more exciting research in this field. An investigation project for SISR is provided at https://github.com/CV-JunchengLi/SISR-Survey.

Key facts. Cited by 19 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Builds on 118 of its 228 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 29 Sep 2021.

Builds on

118 of 228 references.

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50 most cited of 118 All 118 (JSON)

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Cited by year (2026 to 14 Oct)

Citing papers per year: 2022: 6; 2023: 3; 2024: 3; 2025: 6; 2026: 1.

19 papers.

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  1. 2022VRT: A Video Restoration Transformercited by 220
  2. 2022Lightweight Bimodal Network for Single-Image Super-Resolution via Symmetric CNN and Recursive Transformercited by 22
  3. 2022CTCNet: A CNN-Transformer Cooperation Network for Face Image Super-Resolutioncited by 19
  4. 2023Robust Unsupervised StyleGAN Image Restorationcited by 14
  5. 2022NTIRE 2022 Challenge on Stereo Image Super-Resolution: Methods and Resultscited by 12
  6. 2025Dual-domain Modulation Network for Lightweight Image Super-Resolutioncited by 8
  7. 2025FourierSR: A Fourier Token-based Plugin for Efficient Image Super-Resolutioncited by 3
  8. 2025GSR4B: Biomass Map Super-Resolution with Sentinel-1/2 Guidancecited by 3
  9. 2023Incorporating Transformer Designs into Convolutions for Lightweight Image Super-Resolutioncited by 2
  10. 2022Squeeze flow of micro-droplets: convolutional neural network with trainable and tunable refinementcited by 1
  11. 2023Toward Flare-Free Images: A Surveycited by 1
  12. 2024A Low-Resolution Image is Worth 1x1 Words: Enabling Fine Image Super-Resolution with Transformers and TaylorShiftcited by 1
7 more
  1. 2025Deep Learning Empowered Super-Resolution: A Comprehensive Survey and Future Prospectscited by 1
  2. 20264KLSDB: A Large-Scale Dataset for 4K Image Restoration and Generationcited by 1
  3. 2022Single Image Super-Resolution Using Lightweight Networks Based on Swin Transformercited by 0
  4. 2024Attention-Guided Multi-scale Interaction Network for Face Super-Resolutioncited by 0
  5. 2024NTIRE 2024 Challenge on Stereo Image Super-Resolution: Methods and Resultscited by 0
  6. 2025Burst Image Super-Resolution via Multi-Cross Attention Encoding and Multi-Scan State-Space Decodingcited by 0
  7. 2025EatGAN: An Edge-Attention Guided Generative Adversarial Network for Single Image Super-Resolutioncited by 0