\input zb-basic \input zb-ioport \iteman{io-port 06098251} \itemau{Zhao, Ming-Feng; Zhou, Ya-Jian; Yuan, Quan; Yang, Yi-Xian} \itemti{Research survey on physical layer network coding.} \itemso{J. Comput. Appl. 31, No. 8, 2015-2020 (2011).} \itemab Summary: It has been proved that Physical Layer Network Coding (PLNC) can also improve the system throughput and spectral efficiency by taking the advantage of the broadcast nature of electromagnetic waves in wireless cooperative environments. In this paper, the basic idea of the PLNC was introduced and its benefit over traditional forward and straight-forward network coding under the two-way relay scenario was illustrated. Firstly, three types of physical layer network coding -- Physical Network Coding over Finite Field (PNCF), Analog Network Coding (ANC) and Complex Field Network Coding (CFNC) were presented, the theory research development of the three kinds of PLNC were overviewed and new theory and technology related to it were introduced. Secondly, the application and implementation for the ANC scheme in the real wireless cooperative environments were overviewed. Finally, the opening issues and challenges for PLNC concerning both theory and implementation in near future were proposed. It is an important trend to improve the theory and implementation of PLNC, research the security of PLNC, and combine PLNC with other technologies, such as channel coding and modulation, relay choice, effective scheduling and resource allocation. \itemrv{~} \itemcc{} \itemut{Physical Layer Network Coding (PLNC); Physical Network Coding Over Finite Field (PNCF); Analog Network Coding (ANC); Complex Field Network Coding (CFNC)} \itemli{doi:10.3724/SP.J.1087.2011.02015} \end