Experiments on the controlled generation of up to 20 current filaments inn‐type GaAs have been performed in the electric field region, where impurity impact‐ionization avalanche breakdown takes place. This strongly nonlinear system is found to be very sensitive to small deviations of the technological parameters. In particular, we present the results of time‐resolved current measurements on two filaments connected in parallel, which compete for the impressed total current due to nonlocal coupling via a common load resistor. The observed switching time constants down to 100 ns make this system very interesting as a ‘‘winner takes all’’ element in synergetic computer applications. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.