In order to detect light with in particular a high blue component, the inversion zone and the space charge zone of a CMOS-like structure are used. In conjunction with an at least partly transparent gate electrode, in particular a transparent conductive oxide or a patterned gate electrode, it becomes possible to absorb the short-wave component of incident light within the inversion zone and to reliably conduct away the generated charge carrier pairs to first and second contacts. During operation, a control voltage is applied to the gate electrode with a magnitude that generates a continuous inversion zone below the optionally patterned gate electrode.