The development background and working principle of optical phased array technology are intro? duced. The progress of optical phased array technology with different electro-optic materials (lithium tantalate, PLZT, AlGaAs and liquid crystal) at home and abroad is summarized. The problem of the mechanical scanning in the beam scanning control and the functional advantage of the optical phased array are discussed. Aiming at the status of optical phased array devices, the research direction for the technology of the optical phased array ma? terials and the application prospect of the optical phased array technology are proposed.