Abstract: This disclosure describes, at least in part, techniques for identifying referral candidates to provide referrals for applicants for employment vacancies for merchants. For instance, the techniques include systems and methods for identifying referral candidates, such as customers of the merchant, who have connections with an applicant for the employment vacancy for the merchant using various types of information, such as merchant transaction history, employment history, etc. The systems and methods may further include determining a strength of a connection between the referral candidates and the applicants, and use the strength of the connections to select referral candidates for referrals and/or weight the referrals provided. In various examples, the systems and methods provide the referrals, as well as other employment-relevant information for the applicant, to the merchant to help in determining whether to hire an applicant.

Abstract: A coherent amplification device includes a phase modulation stage for preconditioning a laser beam, and a coupling stage for transferring energy and spatial phase information between the first laser beam and a second laser beam. The phase modulation stage may include an electro-optically active medium having a time-dependent refractive index manipulatable by an electric field thereby introducing a time-dependent phase shift to the first laser beam when passed therethrough. The coupling stage may include a coupling medium having a time-dependent and intensity-dependent refractive index with a finite lifetime, where an interference pattern of the laser beams is written into the coupling medium through the time-dependent and intensity-dependent refractive index to generate a holographic grating based on the interference pattern, and where the finite lifetime of the coupling medium and the preconditioned phase modulation facilitates a transfer of energy and spatial phase information between the laser beams.