A poly(para-phenylene) derivative (c-PPP), poly(2,5-dihexyl-1,4-phenylene-alt-2,5-bis(6-triethylammonium iodide)hexyl-1,4-phenylene), was investigated as a model system for semirigid, charged polymers. The adsorption on oxidized silicon surfaces was studied via ellipsometry and scanning force microscopy. The adsorption was performed from dilute aqueous solutions, and carried out as a function of pH and polymer concentration. The adsorbed amount determined by ellipsometry was found to be influenced by pH, as expected from the charge of polymer and silicon substrate. From adsorption isotherms, adsorption is expected to occur in monolayers, where chains are lying flat on the substrates. Dried monolayers contain a small roughness of 2 nm, as determined by scanning force microscopy. The kinetics of adsorption was studied in-situ by ellipsometry and a two stage adsorption process is proposed.