UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   FORM 12b-25

                                                 Commission File Number 0-26714

                           NOTIFICATION OF LATE FILING

(Check One): [ ] Form 10-K     [ ] Form 20-F     [ ] Form 11-K     [X] Form 10-Q
[ ] Form N-SAR    [ ] Form N-CSR

         For Period Ended: January 31, 2003

[ ] Transition Report on Form 10-K
[ ] Transition Report on Form 20-F
[ ] Transition Report on Form 11-K
[ ] Transition Report on Form 10-Q
[ ] Transition Report on Form N-SAR
For the Transition Period Ended: ___________________

         Nothing in this form shall be construed to imply that the Commission
has verified any information contained herein.

         If the notification relates to a portion of the filing checked above,
identify the Item(s) to which the notification relates:______________________
_____________________________________________________________________________



                                     PART I
                             REGISTRANT INFORMATION

Full Name of Registrant:  ADE Corporation

Former Name if Applicable:  N/A

Address of Principal Executive Office (Street and Number):  80 Wilson Way

City, State and Zip Code:  Westwood, Massachusetts 02090


                                     PART II
                             RULES 12b-25(b) AND (c)

         If the subject report could not be filed without unreasonable effort or
expense  and  the  registrant  seeks  relief  pursuant  to Rule  12b-25(b),  the
following should be completed. (Check box if appropriate)


         (a) The reasons described in reasonable detail in Part III of this form
         could not be eliminated without unreasonable effort or expense;
         (b) The subject annual report, semi-annual report, transition report on
[ ]      Form 10-K,  Form 20-F,  Form 11-K, Form N-SAR or Form N-CSR, or portion
         thereof,  will  be  filed  on or  before  the  fifteenth  calendar  day
         following the prescribed due date; or the subject  quarterly  report or
         transition report on Form 10-Q, or portion thereof, will be filed on or
         before the fifth calendar day following the prescribed due date; and
         (c) The  accountant's  statement  or  other  exhibit  required  by Rule
         12b-25(c) has been attached if applicable.

                                    PART III
                                    NARRATIVE

         State below in  reasonable  detail the  reasons  why Forms 10-K,  20-F,
11-K, 10-Q, N-SAR or N-CSR, or the transition report portion thereof,  could not
be filed within the prescribed time period.

         Through no fault of the Registrant,  the Registrant's  Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q for the quarter  ended January 31, 2003 (the "Form 10-Q") was filed
at 9:33 a.m. on March 18, 2003,  instead of on the  prescribed due date of March
17,  2003  (the  "Due  Date").  The  Registrant   utilizes  Merrill  Corporation
("Merrill"),  a financial  printer,  to make its filings of periodic reports via
EDGAR. The Registrant had completed all necessary revisions to the Form 10-Q and
submitted  them  to  Merrill  by 3:15  p.m.  on the Due  Date.  Despite  several
requests, the Registrant did not receive a final "proof" from Merrill until 5:06
p.m. At 5:15 p.m. on the Due Date, the Registrant  authorized Merrill in writing
to file the Form 10-Q, in advance of the 5:30 p.m. EST EDGAR deadline  necessary
to have the Form  10-Q  deemed to be filed on the Due Date.  At 5:15  p.m.,  the
Registrant believed,  based on its past experience with Merrill and its explicit
written authorization, that the Form 10-Q would be timely filed.

         At 5:35  p.m.,  Merrill  contacted  the  Registrant  and  informed  the
Registrant  that it had failed to file the Form 10-Q before  5:30 p.m.,  despite
having received the Registrant's filing authorization sufficiently in advance of
the filing  deadline.  The Registrant  promptly filed the Form 10-Q prior to the
opening of the trading of its stock the following  morning.  The purpose of this
Form 12b-25 is to state the reason for the late  filing of the Form 10-Q.  Other
than Merrill's error, no other reason existed that would have prevented the Form
10-Q from being filed on the Due Date.


                                     PART IV
                                OTHER INFORMATION

(1)  Name  and  telephone  number  of  person  to  contact  in  regard  to  this
notification

Brian C. James                      (781) 467-3500
(Name)                              (Area Code) (Telephone Number)

(2) Have all other  periodic  reports  required under Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30 of the Investment  Company Act of
1940  during  the  preceding  12  months  or for such  shorter  period  that the
registrant  was  required to file such  report(s)  been filed?  If answer is no,
identify report(s). [X] Yes [ ] No

(3) Is it anticipated that any significant  change in results of operations from
the  corresponding  period for the last  fiscal  year will be  reflected  by the
earnings statements to be included in the subject report or portion thereof?
[ ] Yes [X] No

If so: attach an explanation of the  anticipated  change,  both  narratively and
quantitatively, and, if appropriate, state the reasons why a reasonable estimate
of the results cannot be made.

                                 ADE CORPORATION
                  (Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
has caused this notification to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned
hereunto duly authorized.

Date: March 18, 2003    By /s/ Brian C. James
                           Brian C. James
                           Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

INSTRUCTION: The form may be signed by an executive officer of the registrant or
by any other duly  authorized  representative.  The name and title of the person
signing  the form  shall  be typed or  printed  beneath  the  signature.  If the
statement is signed on behalf of the registrant by an authorized  representative
(other than an executive officer), evidence of the representative's authority to
sign on behalf of the registrant shall be filed with the form.

                                    ATTENTION

Intentional  misstatements  or omissions  of fact  constitute  Federal  Criminal
Violations (see 18 U.S.C. 1001).