Aerosols are key factors influencing the energy balance of the Earth-atmosphere system and atmospheric environmental changes. High-precision inversion of their optical parameters has long been a topic of interest in atmospheric environmental remote sensing. Passive remote sensing of aerosol optics primarily utilizes their scattering effects in the visible/near-infrared wavelength bands. However, this approach typically relies on solar scattered radiation as the radiation source, rendering it inapplicable at night and during high-latitude winters (polar nights). Infrared hyperspectral remote sensing technology can resolve the unique spectral absorption and scattering fingerprint characteristics of aerosols, serving as another means to achieve aerosol remote sensing and providing a powerful supplement to traditional visible/near-infrared inversion techniques. This paper systematically elaborates on the fundamental principles of infrared hyperspectral inversion for aerosol microphysical parameters, focusing on key technologies such as physical mechanisms and detection instruments, radiative transfer models, and inversion algorithms. Particular emphasis is placed on discussing the key parameters of existing hyperspectral radiometers, the characteristics of hyperspectral forward radiative transfer models, and the advantages and disadvantages of different inversion methods. Based on this, the paper further outlines future research directions, proposing a focus on developing high-precision, high-efficiency forward radiative transfer models, utilizing the rich information within hyperspectral data to improve inversion algorithms, and actively advancing multi-platform collaborative detection technologies.