Gupta’s research at NIA is primarily concerned with solar energy, high power laser applications and optical sensors and photonic devices. Currently, there are about ten graduate students in his research group who are working on laser processing technology for efficient fabrication of photovoltaic devices, applications of high power lasers for solar thermal and thermoelectrics. Students are also investigating use of quantum dots for solar concentrator applications. In the sensor area a student is investigating use of metamaterials for sensor applications.

Dr. Gupta and his students in the NSF Center for Lasers and Plasmas are conducting sponsored research in very high-power laser applications, as well as in laser-related surface processing and cladding, annealing, doping, crystallization, metal transfer etc. There is a strong industrial interaction in the center research.