In this paper, Scarf II potential is used to construct the improved Scarf II potential energy function (ISPEF) for applications to diatomic molecules. Conditions to be satisfied by a diatomic molecule potential are applied in the derivation of potential parameters of the ISPEF. Equation of bound state ro-vibrational energies is obtained for the ISPEF via a Pekeris-type approximation to the centrifugal term of the Schrodinger equation. The ISPEF and expression for eigen energies are used to model spectroscopic data of five diatomic molecules: N-2(+) (X-1 Sigma(+)(g)), Na-2 (c(1) Pi(u)), ScI (B-1 Pi), NaK (c(3) Sigma(+)) and CO (X-1 Sigma(+)). Average absolute deviation from dissociation energy (AAD) and mean absolute percentage deviation from Rydberg-Klein-Rees data (MAPD) are used to analyse data. On the basis of AAD as goodness-of-fit index, the ISPEF represents a near-perfect model for the diatomic molecules analysed and also a better model than the existing literature data of improved Tietz potential for the Na-2 (c(1) Pi(u)) molecule. On the other hand, with the MAPD as goodness-of-fit index, the available literature results show that eigen energies of ISPEF are equivalent to ro-vibrational energies of Morse and improved generalised Poschl-Teller potentials in fitting spectroscopic data of CO (X-1 Sigma(+)) molecule. [GRAPHICS] .