A heterostructure is fabricated by depositing phosphorus (P)-doped camphoric (C10H16O) carbon thin film (n-type) on boron-doped crystalline silicon (p-type) substrate by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. In order to dope, different amount of P was incorporated with the camphoric soot target and successful doping of P in carbon thin film is realized. Temperature-dependent conductivity data, transmittance-reflectance measurements in the UV-VIS-IR region and current density-voltage (J-V) characteristics are analyzed to obtain different device parameters. With the obtained device parameters, C-V characteristics of the device is modeled. The analyses reveal P diffusion from the carbon layer into the Si region during the film deposition and thus the formation of a P-I-N device rather than a simple P-N junction device. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.