An optical sensor device configured to detect a time of flight of an electromagnetic signal includes a semiconductor substrate having a main surface and a conversion region configured to convert at least a fraction of the electromagnetic signal into photo-generated charge carriers; a first control electrode formed in a trench extending from the main surface into the semiconductor substrate; a second control electrode disposed directly or indirectly on the main surface; a control circuit configured to apply a varying first potential to the first control electrode and to apply a varying second potential to the second control electrode, where the varying second potential has a fixed phase relationship to the first varying potential, to generate electric potential distributions in the conversion region to direct the photo-generated charge carriers; and a readout node arranged in the semiconductor substrate and configured to detect the directed photo-generated charge carriers.