Abstract
Gallium nitride (GaN) transistors are becoming more common in power electronics.
This thesis describes how they can be used to improve solar generators by improving
the inverter that they contain. The benefits of using GaN in an inverter include higher
efficiency, higher switching speeds, and the ability to reduce the size of some inverter
components. The full-bridge inverter topology was chosen for this inverter because of its
favorable high-frequency switching characteristics. Using a full-bridge GaN-based inverter
evaluation board from Transphorm, Inc., a PI control scheme was successfully designed
for this inverter using the simulation software PSIM. This control scheme performed
satisfactorily when tested in the inverter showing that PSIM can be a useful design tool
for high-frequency GaN-based inverters.