SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13D/A
(Rule 13d-101)

INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE
13d-1(a) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-2(a)

CREDENCE SYSTEMS CORPORATION

(Name of Issuer)

COMMON STOCK $0.001 PAR VALUE

(Title of Class of Securities)

225302108

(CUSIP Number)

Elza Lichvarova
Francisco Partners, L.P.
2882 Sand Hill Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025

(Name, Address and Telephone Number of
Person Authorized to Receive Notices
and Communications)

December 15, 2006

(Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of Rule 13d-1(e), 13d-1(f) or 13d-1(g), check the following box. o

Note. Schedules filed in paper format shall include a signed original and five copies of the schedule, including all exhibits. See Rule 13d-7 for other parties to whom copies are to be sent.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be “filed” for the purpose Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act.

CUSIP No. 225302108

13D

Page 2 of 6 Pages

1	NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) NPTest Holding, L.L.C.
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) x (b) o
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	SOURCE OF FUNDS OO
5	CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) or 2(e) o
6	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION State of Delaware, U.S.A.
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH		7	SOLE VOTING POWER 0
		8	SHARED VOTING POWER 0
		9	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0
		10	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 0
11	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 0
12	CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* o
13	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 0.0
14	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON OO

CUSIP No. 225302108

13D

Page 3 of 6 Pages

1	NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Francisco Partners, L.P.
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) x (b) o
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	SOURCE OF FUNDS OO
5	CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) or 2(e) o
6	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION State of Delaware, U.S.A.
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH		7	SOLE VOTING POWER 0
		8	SHARED VOTING POWER 0
		9	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0
		10	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 0
11	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 0
12	CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES o
13	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 0.0
14	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON OO

CUSIP No. 225302108

13D

Page 4 of 6 Pages

1	NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Francisco Partners GP, L.L.C.
2	CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) x (b) o
3	SEC USE ONLY
4	SOURCE OF FUNDS OO
5	CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) or 2(e) o
6	CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION State of Delaware, U.S.A.
NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH		7	SOLE VOTING POWER 0
		8	SHARED VOTING POWER 0
		9	SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0
		10	SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 0
11	AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 0
12	CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES o
13	PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 0.0
14	TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON OO

NPTest Holding, LLC, a Delaware limited liability corporation, Francisco Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited liability partnership and Francisco Partners GP, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (together, the “Reporting Persons”), hereby amend and supplement the statement on Schedule 13D previously filed by them with respect to the Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Shares”), of Credence Systems Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer”), beneficially owned by them.

On December 11 and 12, 2006, NPTest Holding, LLC sold an aggregate of 8,053,600 Shares to Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. (the “Broker”) in a “broker’s transaction” as that term is defined by Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. As of the date of the filing of this statement, the Reporting Persons beneficially own no Shares of the Issuer.

SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

01/03/2007

Date

/s/ Dipanjan Deb

Signature

Dipanjan Deb

(Name/Title)