Stock Based Compensation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Stock Based Compensation
Stock Based Compensation	Note 2. Stock-Based Compensation We maintain the Axcelis Technologies, Inc. 2012 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the “2012 Equity Plan”), which became effective on May 2, 2012, and permits the issuance of options, restricted stock, restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and performance awards to selected employees, directors and consultants of the Company. We also maintain the Axcelis Technologies, Inc. 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2020 ESPP”), an Internal Revenue Code Section 423 plan. The Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan, which was effective in June 2000 (the “2000 ESPP”), expired in June 2020. The 2012 Equity Plan is more fully described in Note 13 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. We recognized stock-based compensation expense of $3.2 million and $2.9 million for the three-month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. We recognized stock-based compensation expense of $9.0 million and $7.7 million for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. These amounts include compensation expense related to RSUs, non-qualified stock options and stock issued to participants under the 2020 ESPP and 2000 ESPP. In both the three-month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, we issued forty thousand and 0.1 million shares of common stock, respectively, upon stock option exercises and vesting of RSUs. In the three-month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, we received proceeds of $0.3 million and $0.5 million, respectively, in connection with the exercise of stock options. In the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, we issued 0.7 million and 1.3 million shares of common stock, respectively, upon stock option exercises, purchases under the employee stock purchase plans and vesting of RSUs. In the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, we received proceeds of $3.9 million and $8.2 million, respectively, in connection with the exercise of stock options and purchases under the employee stock purchase plans.

Stock Based Compensation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Note 2. Stock-Based Compensation

We maintain the Axcelis Technologies, Inc. 2012 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the “2012 Equity Plan”), which became effective on May 2, 2012, and permits the issuance of options, restricted stock, restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and performance awards to selected employees, directors and consultants of the Company. We also maintain the Axcelis Technologies, Inc. 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “2020 ESPP”), an Internal Revenue Code Section 423 plan. The Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan, which was effective in June 2000 (the “2000 ESPP”), expired in June 2020.

The 2012 Equity Plan is more fully described in Note 13 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.

We recognized stock-based compensation expense of $3.2 million and $2.9 million for the three-month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. We recognized stock-based compensation expense of $9.0 million and $7.7 million for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. These amounts include compensation expense related to RSUs, non-qualified stock options and stock issued to participants under the 2020 ESPP and 2000 ESPP.

In both the three-month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, we issued forty thousand and 0.1 million shares of common stock, respectively, upon stock option exercises and vesting of RSUs. In the three-month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, we received proceeds of $0.3 million and $0.5 million, respectively, in connection with the exercise of stock options.

In the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, we issued 0.7 million and 1.3 million shares of common stock, respectively, upon stock option exercises, purchases under the employee stock purchase plans and vesting of RSUs. In the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, we received proceeds of $3.9 million and $8.2 million, respectively, in connection with the exercise of stock options and purchases under the employee stock purchase plans.