Thermoluminescence glow-curve deconvolution (GCD) functions are proposed for first, second and general orders of kinetics. The free parameters of the GCD functions are the maximum peak intensity and the maximum peak temperature , which can be obtained experimentally. The activation energy (E) and the order of kinetics (b) in the case of general order kinetics are the additional free parameters.

Thirteen different computer programs for glow curve analysis are compared. Eleven programmes used a shape of the glow peak based on the Randall-Wilkins model, but a variety of different approximations for evaluating the peak shape was noticed. Twelve programmes were able to reproduce the peak areas and activation energies of a synthetic glow curve according to the Randall-Wilkins model simulating a four peaks TLD-100 glow curve within 6.3%. Four programmes of those twelve were able to reproduce the input values within 0.4%. Clear differences in performance between the programmes are due to differences in approximations used in calculating the glow peak shape.

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