<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-08-041639
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20080630
<FILING-DATE>20080702
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20080702
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Halterman Craig M
<CIK>0001327116
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-30941
<FILM-NUMBER>08932835
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>978-787-4000
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>108 CHERRY HILL DRIVE
<CITY>BEVERLY
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>01915
</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>rrd211063.xml
<DESCRIPTION>HALTERMAN 2008 RSU VEST
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-06-30</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001327116</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Halterman Craig M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>108 CHERRY HILL DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></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>Senior VP and CIO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-06-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>301</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.148</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>114964</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <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>4310</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>5.17</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>110654</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </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. Section 423.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Of the shares held as of June 30, 2008, 100,721 were issuable on vesting of restricted stock units granted to 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>
        <footnote id="F3">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="F4">Represents the closing price of the common stock at vesting (July 1, 2008).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Of the shares held as of July 1, 2008, 87,145 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>Lynnette C. Fallon, as attorney in fact for Craig Halterman</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-07-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
