We used (001)-oriented silicon wafers, chemically etched under special conditions, as substrates for laser epitaxy of HgCdTe. Three types of Si surface with different microrelief were obtained: flat, pyramid-like and plate-like. Thin films of HgCdTe were deposited using a YAG:Nd3+ laser. The electrical properties of the structures under investigation were analysed on the basis of current-voltage characteristics. These characteristics are interpreted in relation to the structural properties of the Si substrate surface. The carrier transport mechanisms for different HgCdTe/Si interfaces are presented.