This paper presents the current state of a photoconductive semiconductor switch engineering. A photoconductive semiconductor switch is an electric switch with its principle of operation based on the phenomenon of photoconductivity. The wide application range, in both low and high-power devices or instruments, makes it necessary to take design requirements into account. This paper presents selected problems in the scope of designing photoconductive switches, taking into account, i.e. issues associated with the element trigger speed, uniform distribution of current density, thermal resistance, operational lifespan, and a high, local electric field generated at the location of electrodes. A review of semiconductor materials used to construct devices of this type was also presented.