-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 JgSwLWLgCrNyRpxbm3dQA/pskRICuss2kvdZ/u8t0tDNO7xv7ZT05lD2Ot36pUE3
 l0p18UrW8CuOJdJJ9oaLnA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-03-012632.txt : 20030702
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-03-012632.hdr.sgml : 20030702
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030702131204
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-03-012632
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030630
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030702

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LUTTATI MICHAEL J
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001195649

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-30941
		FILM NUMBER:		03770782

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES INC
		CITY:			BEVERLY
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01915-1053

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001113232
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SPECIAL INDUSTRY MACHINERY, NEC [3559]
		IRS NUMBER:				341818596
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		55 CHERRY HILL DRIVE
		CITY:			BEVERLY
		STATE:			MA
		ZIP:			01915
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9782324001

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	EATON SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20000501
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd12514.xml
<DESCRIPTION>LUTTATI JUNE 2003 ESPP
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-06-30</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001113232</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ACLS</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001195649</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LUTTATI MICHAEL J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector>
<isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle>Executive VP and COO</officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-06-30</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>1500</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>4.956</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>13838.12</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">Purchased under the Axcelis Technologies, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan, qualified under I.R.C. Section 423.</footnote></footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Lynnette C. Fallon, as attorney-in-fact for Michael J. Luttati</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-07-02</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----