A fiber optic sensor sensitive to refractive index changes of the outer region of the fiber cladding is presented. The sensor uses bent plastic optical fibers in different bending lengths to increase sensitivity. Measurements were made for low-fat milk, the refractive index of which is altered by some preservatives such as formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium carbonate. Concentrations of the preservatives in the milk were changed between 0% and 14.3% while the refractive indices occurred between 1.34550 and 1.35093 for the minimum (0%) and maximum (14.286%) concentrations of sodium carbonate, respectively. Due to bending-induced sensitivity, the sensor is able to detect refractive index changes less of than 0.4%. The results show that there is excellent linearity between the concentration and normalized response of the sensor.
Keywords: bent fiber sensor; concentration sensing; milk; plastic optical fiber; refractive index.