A transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis on the regrowth of GaAs by a two-stage reaction between a metal layer (M) and a GaAs substrate is presented. The first stage of the regrowth process is the consumption of GaAs in a low temperature reaction with the metal layer, producing an intermediate phase of (MxGaAs). A second solid-phase reaction, induced by the deposition of Ga or As, results in the decomposition of the intermediate phase and the epitaxial regrowth of a layer of GaAs. The sample growth and reactions were performed in-situ in a molecular beam epitaxy system, using Ni for the metal and As deposition for the second reaction. TEM data confirm the formation of the ternary phase, NixGaAs, and its subsequent decomposition into NiAs and GaAs by reacting with the deposited As. A layer of AlGaAs, 100 nm thick, was grown in all samples as a marker.