Photon detection technology plays an important role in high-energy physics, astrophysics, medical imaging and other disciplines. Especially in radiation detection applications, it has been the ultimate goal of photodetector development in recent decades to achieve high-level sensitive detection of single photons. Silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) technology is an unprecedented attempt in the field of ideal solid-state photon detectors. With its excellent performance (high gain, low bias voltage, fast time response, magnetic field insensitivity, etc.), SiPM technology is attracting more and more researchers' attention. Focusing on the structure principle of SiPM, this paper reviews, classifies and summarizes the research progress of SiPM in the aspects of structure, performance and application in recent years.