A step-fitting simulation technique was developed for the thermoluminescence (TL) glow-curve analysis and the kinetic trap parameters determination. These parameters include the order of kinetics b, the activation energy E (eV) and the pre-exponential factor S-n (s(-1)). A general equation was developed to estimate the order of kinetics b. The characteristics point of this equation is that any set of three data points in a TL glow curve can yield the kinetics order. Using this characteristic, an improved procedure was suggested to separate a composite glow curve, which includes several overlapping peaks, into its individual components and to obtain the trap parameters of the glow peaks. The program was used to analyze the TL glow curve of the UV dosimetric material pure zirconium oxide (ZrO2). (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.