FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Lawson Douglas A.   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES INC [ACLS] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) EVP, Corporate Mktg & Strategy (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC., 108 CHERRY HILL DRIVE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 02/15/2017 (Street) BEVERLY, MA 01915 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 02/15/2017   D   2,545 D $ 0 (1) 28,809 D   Common Stock 02/15/2017   F   1,237 D $ 0 (2) 27,572 (3) D   Common Stock               3,125 I Held by Spouse

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Lawson Douglas A. C/O AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 108 CHERRY HILL DRIVE BEVERLY, MA 01915			EVP, Corporate Mktg & Strategy

Signatures

Lynnette C. Fallon, as attorney in fact for Douglas A. Lawson		02/15/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	These shares were issuable on restricted stock units which forfeited on February 15, 2017 as a result of the non-achievement of 2016 performance goals.
(2)	These shares were withheld by the Company to cover the tax withholding obligations of the executive on the vesting of restricted stock units on February 15, 2017.
(3)	On February 15, 2017, restricted stock units with performance vesting terms granted in May 2016 were determined to have vested as to 60% of the units. The remaining units forfeited. The shares issued to the executive on the vested units were reduced by shares having a value equal to the executive's tax withholding obligation. After these events, of the shares held by the executive as of February 15, 2017, 19,091 were issuable on vesting of other restricted stock units which remain subject to forfeiture.

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