An optical phased array apparatus comprising: • a polarization splitting coupler, PSC, configured to receive a randomly polarized source light at an input, convert a first portion of the source light into a first output light provided at a first output, and convert a second portion of the source light into a second output light provided at a second output, the first output light and the second output light having a same state of polarization; • a controller operably coupled to the first output and the second output of the PSC, the controller configured to provide a first controlled output light and a second controlled output light derived from the first output light and the second output light, the first and second controlled output lights having one or both of: controlled power levels and controlled relative phase; • a first optical phased array, OPA, component configured to receive the first controlled output light; and • a second OPA component configured to receive the second controlled output light, • wherein the first and second OPA components are operated together as an overall OPA component, and wherein there is an optical beam formed by co-polarized light emitted by the overall OPA component, said light comprising light from both the first and second OPA components, • characterized in that the controller comprises: ∘ two or more serially connected control stages, each one of the control stages comprising a phase shifter section in series with an optical coupler, the phase shifter section configured to adjust relative phase of light provided at a pair of inputs to said one of the control stages, the optical coupler coupled to an output of the phase shifter section, ∘ wherein a first one of the control stages is coupled to the first output and the second output of the PSC, and a last one of the control stages is configured to provide the first and second controlled output lights; and ∘ a feedback control section and a control circuit, the control circuit configured to control relative phase adjustment applied by the phase shifter sections of each one of the control stages based on output of the feedback control section. • a polarization splitting coupler, PSC, configured to receive a randomly polarized source light at an input, convert a first portion of the source light into a first output light provided at a first output, and convert a second portion of the source light into a second output light provided at a second output, the first output light and the second output light having a same state of polarization; • a controller operably coupled to the first output and the second output of the PSC, the controller configured to provide a first controlled output light and a second controlled output light derived from the first output light and the second output light, the first and second controlled output lights having one or both of: controlled power levels and controlled relative phase; • a first optical phased array, OPA, component configured to receive the first controlled output light; and • a second OPA component configured to receive the second controlled output light, • wherein the first and second OPA components are operated together as an overall OPA component, and wherein there is an optical beam formed by co-polarized light emitted by the overall OPA component, said light comprising light from both the first and second OPA components, • characterized in that the controller comprises: ∘ two or more serially connected control stages, each one of the control stages comprising a phase shifter section in series with an optical coupler, the phase shifter section configured to adjust relative phase of light provided at a pair of inputs to said one of the control stages, the optical coupler coupled to an output of the phase shifter section, ∘ wherein a first one of the control stages is coupled to the first output and the second output of the PSC, and a last one of the control stages is configured to provide the first and second controlled output lights; and ∘ a feedback control section and a control circuit, the control circuit configured to control relative phase adjustment applied by the phase shifter sections of each one of the control stages based on output of the feedback control section. ∘ two or more serially connected control stages, each one of the control stages comprising a phase shifter section in series with an optical coupler, the phase shifter section configured to adjust relative phase of light provided at a pair of inputs to said one of the control stages, the optical coupler coupled to an output of the phase shifter section, ∘ wherein a first one of the control stages is coupled to the first output and the second output of the PSC, and a last one of the control stages is configured to provide the first and second controlled output lights; and ∘ a feedback control section and a control circuit, the control circuit configured to control relative phase adjustment applied by the phase shifter sections of each one of the control stages based on output of the feedback control section.