A pixel sensor cell, a method for fabricating or operating the pixel sensor cell and a design structure for fabricating the pixel sensor cell each include a semiconductor substrate that includes a photoactive region separated from a floating diffusion region by a channel region. At least one gate dielectric is located upon the semiconductor substrate at least in-part interposed between the photoactive region and the floating diffusion region, and at least one optically transparent gate is located upon the gate dielectric and at least in-part over the channel region. Preferably, the at least one gate dielectric is also located over the photoactive region and the at least one optically transparent gate is also located at least in-part over the photoactive region, to provide enhanced charge transfer capabilities within the pixel sensor cell, which is typically a CMOS pixel sensor cell.