<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-05-001339
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20041231
<FILING-DATE>20050105
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20050105
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>DUFF DAVID
<CIK>0001195657
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-30941
<FILM-NUMBER>05510987
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES INC
<CITY>BEVERLY
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>01915-1053
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES INC
<CIK>0001113232
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3559
<IRS-NUMBER>341818596
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>55 CHERRY HILL DRIVE
<CITY>BEVERLY
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>01915
<PHONE>9782324001
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>EATON SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT INC
<DATE-CHANGED>20000501
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd63822.xml
<DESCRIPTION>DUFF  DEC 2004 ESPP
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-12-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001113232</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ACLS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001195657</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DUFF DAVID</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>108 CHERRY HILL DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BEVERLY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>01915</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Vice President/GM IIRTP</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-12-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>6.91</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12459.80</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Purchased under the Axcelis Technologies, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan, qualified under I.R.C. Secion 423.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Lynnette C. Fallon, as attorney-in-fact for David Duff</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-01-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
