This document describes a new photon-effect transistor (PET) device that can both sense light signals and amplify electrical signals in a single simple unit. The PET uses a photosensitive semiconducting material as its gate, allowing it to perform the functions of a photo-detector diode and transistor. This simpler single-component design reduces noise, increases resolution and sensitivity, and allows for smaller pixel sizes compared to current multi-component image sensor technologies. The PET was invented by Dr. Jinhui Song, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at the University of Alabama.