<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-08-041642
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20080701
<FILING-DATE>20080702
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080702
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>PUMA MARY G
<CIK>0001158015
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-30941
<FILM-NUMBER>08932845
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>NORDSON CORP
<STREET2>28601 CLEMENS RD
<CITY>WESTLAKE
<STATE>OH
<ZIP>44145
</MAIL-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>108 CHERRY HILL DRIVE
<CITY>BEVERLY
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>01915
<PHONE>978 232 4001
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>108 CHERRY HILL DRIVE
<CITY>BEVERLY
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>01915
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>EATON SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT INC
<DATE-CHANGED>20000501
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd211058.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PUMA 2008 RSU VEST
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-07-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001158015</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PUMA MARY G</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>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman, President and CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-07-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7680</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>5.17</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>286820</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Shares held by spouse</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares withheld by the Company equal to tax liability of the executive officer incident to the vesting of restricted stock units issued in accordance with Rule 16b-3.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Represents the closing price of the common stock at vesting (July 1, 2008).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Of the shares held as of July 1, 2008, 188,038 were issuable on vesting of restricted stock units granted the executive under the 2000 Stock Plan and are subject to forfeiture. A portion of these shares will be withheld by the Company on vesting to satisfy tax withholding requirements.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By Lynnette C. Fallon, attorney in fact for Mary G. Puma</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-07-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
