Quantum interference and phase-dependent fluorescence spectrum of a four-level atom with antiparallel dipole moments

We investigate the effects of spontaneously generated interference on the spectrum of quantum fluctuations in phase quadratures of resonant fluorescence emitted from the transition of j = 1/2 to j = 1/2 of a monochromatically driven four-level atom with antiparallel dipole moments. It is found that the spectrum exhibits obvious characteristics of quantum interference in both cases of weak and strong laser fields. For the Zeeman-degenerate system, strong radiation squeezing in weak atomic excitation can occur at the central frequency of the spectrum, which is quite different from the case without consideration of the interference. Moreover, when we apply an external magnetic field to the atom, we find that the quantum interference can lead to a narrowing spectrum with much stronger squeezing by adjusting the magnetic field strength. These results suggest that the phase-dependent fluorescence spectrum can serve as a probe of the quantum interference effects in a realistic system such as a trapped 198Hg+ ion or charged quantum dots.