An improvement in a semiconductor switching device is disclosed which comprises a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, an anode region of a second conductivity type formed in the semiconductor substrate adjacent to a major surface thereof, a gate region of the second conductivity type formed a distance from the anode region, and a cathode region of the first conductivity type formed in the gate region and having a higher impurity concentration than the semiconductor substrate. A channel region is formed immediately below the cathode region thereby to directly contact the cathode region to the semiconductor substrate. A current path extending from the anode region to the cathode region through the semiconductor substrate is interrupted by a depletion layer produced in the vicinity of the channel region upon application of a reverse bias across a pn-junction formed between the gate region and the cathode region. When no reverse bias voltage is applied, the anode region, the semiconductor substrate and the gate region cooperate to function as a thyristor. The semiconductor switching device has a high dv/dt capability and is easily implemented in integrated circuits.