Fingerprint Image Generation Using Deep Generative Models: From GANs to Diffusion Models

North University of China, Jiancaoping District, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030051, China

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Abstract

This paper reviews recent progress in fingerprint image generation using deep generative models, with a focus on Generative Adversarial Network (GAN)-based and diffusion-based approaches. Fingerprint data are essential for biometric recognition, but collecting large and diverse datasets is difficult, especially for latent fingerprints. Early methods based on physical or statistical modeling could not produce realistic textures or sufficient diversity. With the development of deep learning, GAN-based models such as FingerGAN, PrintsGAN, and lightweight GANs have significantly improved the realism of generated fingerprints by learning data distributions directly. These methods introduce techniques such as structural constraints, multi-stage generation, and improved loss functions to enhance image quality and stability. However, GAN-based models still suffer from problems such as training instability, mode collapse, and limited control over identity consistency. To address these issues, diffusion models have recently been introduced into fingerprint generation. By gradually denoising random noise, diffusion models can generate high-quality and diverse fingerprint images with better stability. Advanced diffusion frameworks further enable controllable generation, allowing users to adjust fingerprint attributes such as style, quality, and sensor type while preserving identity information. Overall, diffusion-based methods show strong potential to become the next generation of fingerprint synthesis techniques.