Tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, in conjunction with tight-bindi
ng molecular dynamics, provide compelling evidence that the ''missing
As'' defect on GaAs(110) is indeed an As vacancy. Neighboring Ga atoms
relax upward by about 0.7 angstrom, but do not rebond. The defect is
positively charged and most likely in a +2 state. Both the relaxation
and the preponderance of As vacancies on p-GaAs are explained by the e
nergetics of the defect levels. The essential features of the observat
ions can be understood from qualitative arguments based on hybrid orbi
tals.