The effect of spontaneously generated coherence (SGC) on spontaneous emission and dynamical evolution of a microwave-driven four-level atomic system is studied. Interesting phenomena due to SGC, such as spectral-line narrowing, spectra-line enhancement, spectral-line suppression, and fluorescence quenching, are shown in the spontaneous emission spectra, which can be effectively modulated by amplitude and phase of the microwave field. Due to SGC, the total populations are partly, even completely, trapped in upper levels in steady state, the decay time of which is sensitive to the phase of the microwave field. In the dressed state picture, multiple SGC arise during the process of three close-lying states decaying to the same state. The corresponding experiment to observe the expected phenomena related to SGC can be more conveniently realized in atoms, since no rigorous conditions are required and the amplitude and phase of the microwave field can be conveniently controlled.

• Received 10 January 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.77.053806