An optical sensor has a core, a cladding, and an over-layer. In some embodiments the optical sensor also has a sensing layer. The over-layer acts as a sensitivity enhancement layer, with a refractive index larger than that of the cladding layers. A periodic structure, such as a long-period grating (LPG), is formed in the core. A transmission spectrum of the device shows several notches due to the existence of the LPG. A change in the sensing layer's refractive index and/or thickness results in a shift in the notch wavelengths of the LPG. By choosing proper refractive indices and thicknesses of the core, the cladding and the over-layer, the shift in the notch wavelengths can be significantly enhanced.