Detector for an optical detection of at least one object

A detector for an optical detection of at least one object, comprising:

• at least one longitudinal optical sensor including at least one sensor region, and configured to generate at least one longitudinal sensor signal dependent on an illumination of the sensor region by a light beam, wherein the longitudinal sensor signal, given same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam in the sensor region, wherein the sensor region comprises at least one thermoelectric unit, wherein the thermoelectric unit is configured, upon illumination of the sensor region or a part thereof by the light beam, to generate the longitudinal sensor signal as a result of at least one of a spatial variation or a temporal variation of a temperature in the thermoelectric unit;
• and
• at least one evaluation device configured to generate at least one item of information on a longitudinal position of the object by evaluating the longitudinal sensor signal.

A method for an optical detection of at least one object, comprising:

• generating at least one longitudinal sensor signal by using at least one longitudinal optical sensor including at least one sensor region, wherein the at least one longitudinal sensor signal is generated dependent on an illumination of the sensor region by a light beam, wherein the longitudinal sensor signal, given same total power of the illumination, is dependent on a beam cross-section of the light beam in the sensor region, wherein the sensor region comprises at least one thermoelectric unit, wherein, upon illumination of the sensor region or a part thereof by the light beam, at least one of a spatial variation or a temporal variation of the temperature in the thermoelectric unit is designed to generate the longitudinal sensor signal;
• and
• generating at least one item of information on a longitudinal position of the object by evaluating the longitudinal sensor signal.