We report on the design of an innovative CMOS demodulating pixel architecture conceived for distance measurements according to a continuous wave phase modulation time-of-flight technique. An electro-optical mixer (EOM) photo-detector, based on two closely spaced p-n junctions, has been integrated together with dedicated read out electronics in a 500/spl times/25 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ pixel. To validate the approach a 128-pixel linear array has been designed and fabricated in 0.35 /spl mu/m, 3.3 V, 4M-2P, CMOS technology.