Revisiting the displacement operator for quantum systems with position-dependent mass

Abstract

Recently Costa Filho et al. [Phys. Rev. A 84, 050102(R) (2011)] have introduced a position-dependent infinitesimal translation operator which corresponds to a position-dependent linear momentum and consequently to a quantum particle with position-dependent effective mass. Although there is no doubt about the novelty of the idea and the formalism, we believe that some aspects of the quantum mechanics in their original work could be enhanced. Here in this Brief Report first we address those points and then an alternative is introduced. Finally we apply the formalism for a quantum particle under a null potential confined in a square well, and the results are compared with those in the paper mentioned above.