Cadmium selenide (n-CdSe) thin films were grown on a silicon substrate with a polished surface and applied to the Schottky type device structure. The n-CdSe thin films produced depended on various deposition times at 70°C by the use of the chemical bath deposition technique. XRD results show that the fabricated thin films consist of both cubic and hexagonal crystal systems. The morphology of CdSe was formed in nanograins and nanowire structures with respect to deposition times of 6 and 10 h, respectively. In addition to structural analysis of CdSe thin films, CdSe nanowires were used as an interfacial layer in a metal–semiconductor device to investigate its effects on the electrical and photosensitive characteristics of the device. As well as under forward bias current–voltage (I  −  V) conditions, the space charge limited current conduction behaviors were identified at low voltages. The results showed that the film produced at 10 h has a better performance compared to that produced at 6 h in terms of increased electric current.