Output of multilayer generators

The output of a piezoelectric generator is influenced by external parameters as well as material parameters.

However, for a specific component of fixed size, it is possible to change the output in terms of voltage and current by adjusting the amount of polarized ceramic layers inside the component, and correspondingly the amount of internal electrodes.

The plot below is a comparison of three different generators, all 5x5x2mm in size, but where the amount of internal electrodes is different. The distance between the internal electrodes are 20, 31 and 68µm in the three designs, respectively. 
 

The results give a clear indication that a short distance between the electrodes, will provide a relative low output voltage, but a relative high current. And a big distance will provide the opposite situation, high voltage but low current.

Multilayer generators thus introduce advantages compared to monolayer generators, as the output signal in many cases does not need to pass through a transformer, to create useable voltage levels. And efficiency levels are generally magnitudes higher, due to the match characteristics between generator and electronics.