As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 3, 2003
Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Under The Securities Act of 1933
NANOMETRICS INCORPORATED
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

           CALIFORNIA                                           94-2276314
(State or other jurisdiction of                             (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                            Identification Number)

1550 Buckeye Drive
Milpitas, California 95035
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code) NANOMETRICS INCORPORATED
2003 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
(Full title of the plan) John D. Heaton
Chief Executive Officer
Nanometrics Incorporated
1550 Buckeye Drive
Milpitas, California 95035
(Name and address of agent for service) (408) 435-9600
(Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copy to:
Aaron J. Alter, Esq.
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Professional Corporation
650 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304
(650) 493-9300




                                               CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
========================================= ========================= ====================== ====================== ==================
                                                                      Proposed Maximum       Proposed Maximum         Amount of
         Title of Securities to                 Amount to be           Offering Price       Aggregate Offering       Registration
             be Registered                     Registered (1)           Per Share (2)            Price (2)               Fee
----------------------------------------- ------------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------- ------------------
Common Stock, no par value
   To be issued under the Nanometrics
     Incorporated 2003 Employee Stock
      Purchase Plan...................             750,000               $7.105                 $5,328,750             $432
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1) This Registration Statement also covers any additional shares of Common Stock that may be offered or issued under the 2003 Employee Stock Purchase Plan as a result of any stock dividends, stock splits, recapitalizations or any other similar transactions.

(2) Estimated in accordance with Rules 457(h)(1) and 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. The computation is based on the average of the high and low prices as reported on The Nasdaq National Market on August 27, 2003, as the price at which the shares will be granted in the future is not currently determinable.


NANOMETRICS INCORPORATED

REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The following documents and information previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") by Nanometrics Incorporated (the "Company" or the "Registrant") are hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement:

(1) the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002 filed pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), on March 28, 2003;

(2) the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2003, filed with the SEC on May 13, 2003;

(3) the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2003, filed with the SEC on August 11, 2003; and

(4) the description of the Company's Common Stock contained in the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, dated April 29, 1985, filed pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

All documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

None.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Section 317 of the California Corporations Code authorizes a court to award, or a corporation's Board of Directors to grant, indemnity to directors and officers in terms sufficiently broad to permit such indemnification under certain circumstances for liabilities (including reimbursement for expenses incurred) arising under the Securities Act. Article V of the Company's Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and Article VI of the Company's Bylaws provide for indemnification of its directors, officers, employees and

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other agents to the maximum extent permitted by the California Corporations Code. In addition, the Company has entered into indemnification agreements with its officers and directors.

Item 7. Exemption From Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.

The Exhibits listed on the accompanying Exhibit Index are filed as part hereof, or incorporated by reference into, this registration statement (see Exhibit Index below).

Item 9. Undertakings.

(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Milpitas, State of California, on this 29th day of August, 2003.

NANOMETRICS INCORPORATED

/s/ John D. Heaton
---------------------------------------
John D. Heaton
Chief Executive Officer and President

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints John D. Heaton and Paul B. Nolan, jointly and severally, his attorney-in-fact, each with power of substitution, for him in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments to this Registration Statement on Form S-8, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact, or his substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant in the capacities indicated below on this 29th day of August, 2003.

/s/ Vincent J. Coates
-----------------------------   Chairman of the Board of Directors and Secretary
Vincent J. Coates

/s/ Paul B. Nolan
----------------------------    Chief Financial Officer and Vice President
Paul B. Nolan                   (Principal Accounting and Financial Officer)

/s/ Nathaniel Brenner
-----------------------------   Director
Nathaniel Brenner

/s/ John D. Heaton
-----------------------------   President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
John D. Heaton

/s/ Edmond R. Ward
-----------------------------   Director
Edmond R. Ward

/s/ William G. Oldham
-----------------------------   Director
William G. Oldham

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NANOMETRICS INCORPORATED

REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8

EXHIBIT INDEX

        Exhibit
         Number                               Description
------------------------   -----------------------------------------------------

          4.1              Nanometrics Incorporated 2003 Employee Stock Purchase
                           Plan.

          5.1              Opinion   of  Wilson   Sonsini   Goodrich  &  Rosati,
                           Professional   Corporation,   as   to   legality   of
                           securities being registered.

          23.1             Independent Auditors' Consent.

          23.2             Consent   of  Wilson   Sonsini   Goodrich  &  Rosati,
                           Professional Corporation (contained in Exhibit 5.1).

          24.1             Power  of  Attorney   (contained  on  signature  page
                           hereto).


NANOMETRICS INCORPORATED

2003 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

The following constitute the provisions of the 2003 Employee Stock Purchase Plan of Nanometrics Incorporated.

1. Purpose. The purpose of the Plan is to provide employees of the Company and its Designated Subsidiaries with an opportunity to purchase Common Stock of the Company through accumulated payroll deductions. It is the intention of the Company to have the Plan qualify as an "Employee Stock Purchase Plan" under Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. The provisions of the Plan, accordingly, shall be construed so as to extend and limit participation in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner consistent with the requirements of that section of the Code.

2. Definitions.

(a) "Administrator" shall mean the Board or any Committee designated by the Board to administer the plan pursuant to Section 14.

(b) "Board" shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

(c) "Change of Control" shall mean the occurrence of any of the following events:

(i) Any "person" (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) becomes the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total voting power represented by the Company's then outstanding voting securities; or

(ii) The consummation of the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets; or

(iii) The consummation of a merger or consolidation of the Company, with any other corporation, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or its parent) at least fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power represented by the voting securities of the Company, or such surviving entity or its parent outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation.

(iv) A change in the composition of the Board, as a result of which fewer than a majority of the Directors are Incumbent Directors. "Incumbent Directors" shall mean Directors who either (A) are Directors of the Company, as applicable, as of the date hereof, or (B) are elected, or nominated for election, to the Board with the affirmative votes of at least a majority of those Directors whose election or nomination was not in connection with any transaction described


in subsections (i), (ii) or (iii) or in connection with an actual or threatened proxy contest relating to the election of Directors of the Company.

(d) "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

(e) "Common Stock" shall mean the Common Stock of the Company.

(f) "Committee" means a committee of the Board appointed by the Board in accordance with Section 14 hereof.

(g) "Company" shall mean Nanometrics Incorporated, a California corporation.

(h) "Compensation" shall mean all base straight time gross earnings, exclusive of payments for overtime, shift premium, incentive compensation, incentive payments, bonuses, commissions and other compensation.

(i) "Designated Subsidiary" shall mean any Subsidiary that has been designated by the Administrator from time to time in its sole discretion as eligible to participate in the Plan.

(j) "Director" shall mean a member of the Board.

(k) "Eligible Employee" shall mean any individual who is a common law employee of the Company or any Designated Subsidiary whose customary employment with the Company or any Designated Subsidiary is at least twenty (20) hours per week and more than five (5) months in any calendar year. For purposes of the Plan, the employment relationship shall be treated as continuing intact while the individual is on sick leave or other leave of absence approved by the Company. Where the period of leave exceeds ninety (90) days and the individual's right to reemployment is not guaranteed either by statute or by contract, the employment relationship shall be deemed to have terminated on the 91st day of such leave.

(l) "Enrollment Date" shall mean the first day of each Offering Period.

(m) "Exercise Date" shall mean the last day of each Offering Period. The first Exercise Date under the Plan shall be the first Trading Day on or after the last day of the Company's fiscal quarter ending in March or April of 2004.

(n) "Fair Market Value" shall mean, as of any date, the value of Common Stock determined as follows:

(i) If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or a national market system, including without limitation the Nasdaq National Market or The Nasdaq SmallCap Market of The Nasdaq Stock Market, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on such exchange or system for the last market trading day on the date of such determination, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Board deems reliable, or;

(ii) If the Common Stock is regularly quoted by a recognized securities dealer but selling prices are not reported, its Fair Market Value shall be the mean of the closing bid

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and asked prices for the Common Stock on the date of such determination, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Board deems reliable, or;

(iii) In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined in good faith by the Board.

(o) "Offering Periods" shall mean the periods of approximately six (6) months during which an option granted pursuant to the Plan may be exercised, (i) commencing on the first Trading Day on or after the last day of the Company's first fiscal quarter, which typically ends in March, of each year, and terminating on the first Trading Day on or after the last day of the Company's third fiscal quarter, which typically ends in September, approximately six months later, and (ii) commencing on the first Trading Day on or after the last day of the Company's third fiscal quarter, which typically ends in September, of each year, and terminating on the first Trading Day on or after the last day of the Company's first fiscal quarter, which typically ends in March, of the following year, approximately six months later; provided, however, that the first Offering Period under the Plan shall commence with the first Trading Day on or after the last day of the Company's third fiscal quarter of 2003, which ends in September or October of 2003, and end on the first Trading Day on or after the last day of the Company's first fiscal quarter of 2004, which ends in March or April of 2004. The duration and timing of Offering Periods may be changed pursuant to Section 4 of this Plan.

(p) Plan" shall mean this Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

(q) "Purchase Price" shall mean an amount equal to 85% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Enrollment Date or on the Exercise Date, whichever is lower; provided, however, that the Purchase Price may be adjusted by the Administrator pursuant to Section 20.

(r) "Subsidiary" shall mean a "subsidiary corporation," whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

(s) "Trading Day" shall mean a day on which national stock exchanges and the Nasdaq System are open for trading.

3. Eligibility.

(a) Offering Periods. Any Eligible Employee on a given Enrollment Date shall be eligible to participate in the Plan.

(b) Limitations. Any provisions of the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, no Eligible Employee shall be granted an option under the Plan
(i) to the extent that, immediately after the grant, such Eligible Employee (or any other person whose stock would be attributed to such Eligible Employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) would own capital stock of the Company and/or hold outstanding options to purchase such stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of the capital stock of the Company or of any Subsidiary, or (ii) to the extent that his or her rights to purchase stock under all employee stock purchase plans of the Company and its subsidiaries accrues at a rate which exceeds twenty-five

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thousand dollars ($25,000) worth of stock (determined at the fair market value of the shares at the time such option is granted) for each calendar year in which such option is outstanding at any time.

4. Offering Periods. The Plan shall be implemented by consecutive Offering Periods with a new Offering Period commencing on the first Trading Day on or after the last day of the Company's first fiscal quarter, which typically ends in March, of each year, and the first Trading Day on or after the last day of the Company's third fiscal quarter, which typically ends in September, of each year, or on such other date as the Board shall determine, and continuing thereafter until terminated in accordance with Section 20 hereof; provided, however, that the first Offering Period under the Plan shall commence with the first Trading Day on or after the last day of the Company's third fiscal quarter of 2003, which ends in September or October of 2003, and end on the first Trading Day on or after the last day of the Company's first fiscal quarter of 2004, which ends in March or April of 2004. The Board shall have the power to change the duration of Offering Periods (including the commencement dates thereof) with respect to future offerings without shareholder approval if such change is announced prior to the scheduled beginning of the first Offering Period to be affected thereafter.

5. Participation. An Eligible Employee may become a participant in the Plan by completing a subscription agreement in the form of Exhibit A authorizing payroll deductions to this Plan and filing it with the Company's payroll office prior to the applicable Enrollment Date.

6. Payroll Deductions.

(a) At the time a participant files his or her subscription agreement, he or she shall elect to have payroll deductions made on each pay day during the Offering Period in an amount not less than one percent (1.0%) and not exceeding ten percent (10.0%) of the Compensation which he or she receives on each pay day during the Offering Period; provided, however, that should a pay day occur on an Exercise Date, a participant shall have the payroll deductions made on such day applied to his or her account under the new Offering Period. A participant's subscription agreement shall remain in effect for successive Offering Periods unless terminated as provided in Section 10 hereof.

(b) Payroll deductions for a participant shall commence on the first payday following the Enrollment Date and shall end on the last payday in the Offering Period to which such authorization is applicable, unless sooner terminated by the participant as provided in Section 10 hereof.

(c) All payroll deductions made for a participant shall be credited to his or her account under the Plan and shall be withheld in whole percentages only. A participant may not make any additional payments into such account.

(d) A participant may discontinue his or her participation in the Plan as provided in Section 10 hereof, or may increase or decrease the rate of his or her payroll deductions during the Offering Period by completing or filing with the Company a new subscription agreement authorizing a change in payroll deduction rate. The Administrator may, in its discretion, limit the nature and/or number of participation rate changes during any Offering Period. The change in rate shall be effective with the first full payroll period following five (5) business days after the Company's

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receipt of the new subscription agreement unless the Company elects to process a given change in participation more quickly.

(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Section 3(b) hereof, a participant's payroll deductions may be decreased to zero percent (0%) at any time during an Offering Period. Payroll deductions shall recommence at the rate provided in such participant's subscription agreement at the beginning of the first Offering Period which is scheduled to end in the following calendar year, unless terminated by the participant as provided in Section 10 hereof.

(f) At the time the option is exercised, in whole or in part, or at the time some or all of the Company's Common Stock issued under the Plan is disposed of, the participant must make adequate provision for the Company's federal, state, or other tax withholding obligations, if any, which arise upon the exercise of the option or the disposition of the Common Stock. At any time, the Company may, but shall not be obligated to, withhold from the participant's compensation the amount necessary for the Company to meet applicable withholding obligations, including any withholding required to make available to the Company any tax deductions or benefits attributable to sale or early disposition of Common Stock by the Eligible Employee.

7. Grant of Option. On the Enrollment Date of each Offering Period, each Eligible Employee participating in such Offering Period shall be granted an option to purchase on the Exercise Date of such Offering Period (at the applicable Purchase Price) up to a number of shares of the Company's Common Stock determined by dividing such Eligible Employee's payroll deductions accumulated prior to such Exercise Date and retained in the Participant's account as of the Exercise Date by the applicable Purchase Price; provided that in no event shall an Eligible Employee be permitted to purchase during each Offering Period more than 5,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock (subject to any adjustment pursuant to Section 19), and provided further that such purchase shall be subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 13 hereof. The Eligible Employee may accept the grant of such option by turning in a completed and signed subscription agreement (in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A) to the Company on or prior to an Enrollment Date. The Administrator may, for future Offering Periods, increase or decrease, in its absolute discretion, the maximum number of shares of the Company's Common Stock an Eligible Employee may purchase during an Offering Period. Exercise of the option shall occur as provided in Section 8 hereof, unless the participant has withdrawn pursuant to Section 10 hereof. The option shall expire on the last day of the Offering Period.

8. Exercise of Option.

(a) Unless a participant withdraws from the Plan as provided in Section 10 hereof, his or her option for the purchase of shares shall be exercised automatically on the Exercise Date, and the maximum number of full shares subject to option shall be purchased for such participant at the applicable Purchase Price with the accumulated payroll deductions in his or her account. No fractional shares shall be purchased; any payroll deductions accumulated in a participant's account which are not sufficient to purchase a full share shall be retained in the participant's account for the subsequent Offering Period, subject to earlier withdrawal by the participant as provided in
Section 10 hereof. Any other monies left over in a participant's account

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after the Exercise Date shall be returned to the participant. During a participant's lifetime, a participant's option to purchase shares hereunder is exercisable only by him or her.

(b) If the Administrator determines that, on a given Exercise Date, the number of shares with respect to which options are to be exercised may exceed (i) the number of shares of Common Stock that were available for sale under the Plan on the Enrollment Date of the applicable Offering Period, or (ii) the number of shares available for sale under the Plan on such Exercise Date, the Administrator may in its sole discretion (x) provide that the Company shall make a pro rata allocation of the shares of Common Stock available for purchase on such Enrollment Date or Exercise Date, as applicable, in as uniform a manner as shall be practicable and as it shall determine in its sole discretion to be equitable among all participants exercising options to purchase Common Stock on such Exercise Date, or (y) provide that the Company shall make a pro rata allocation of the shares available for purchase on such Enrollment Date or Exercise Date, as applicable, in as uniform a manner as shall be practicable and as it shall determine in its sole discretion to be equitable among all participants exercising options to purchase Common Stock on such Exercise Date. The Company may make pro rata allocation of the shares available on the Enrollment Date of any applicable Offering Period pursuant to the preceding sentence, notwithstanding any authorization of additional shares for issuance under the Plan by the Company's shareholders subsequent to such Enrollment Date.

9. Delivery. As promptly as reasonably practicable after each Exercise Date on which a purchase of shares occurs, the Company shall arrange the delivery to each participant, as appropriate, the shares purchased upon exercise of his or her option in determined by the Administrator.

10. Withdrawal.

(a) A participant may withdraw all but not less than all the payroll deductions credited to his or her account and not yet used to exercise his or her option under the Plan at any time by giving written notice to the Company in the form of Exhibit B to this Plan. All of the participant's payroll deductions credited to his or her account shall be paid to such participant promptly after receipt of notice of withdrawal and such participant's option for the Offering Period shall be automatically terminated, and no further payroll deductions for the purchase of shares shall be made for such Offering Period. If a participant withdraws from an Offering Period, payroll deductions shall not resume at the beginning of the succeeding Offering Period unless the participant delivers to the Company a new subscription agreement.

(b) A participant's withdrawal from an Offering Period shall not have any effect upon his or her eligibility to participate in any similar plan which may hereafter be adopted by the Company or in succeeding Offering Periods which commence after the termination of the Offering Period from which the participant withdraws.

11. Termination of Employment. Upon a participant's ceasing to be an Eligible Employee for any reason, he or she shall be deemed to have elected to withdraw from the Plan and the payroll deductions credited to such participant's account during the Offering Period but not yet used to exercise the option shall be returned to such participant or, in the case of his or her death, to the person or persons entitled thereto under Section 15 hereof, and such participant's option shall be

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automatically terminated. The preceding sentence notwithstanding, a participant who receives payment in lieu of notice of termination of employment shall be treated as continuing to be an Employee for the participant's customary number of hours per week of employment during the period in which the participant is subject to such payment in lieu of notice.

12. Interest. No interest shall accrue on the payroll deductions of a participant in the Plan.

13. Stock.

(a) Subject to adjustment upon changes in capitalization of the Company as provided in Section 19 hereof, the maximum number of shares of the Company's Common Stock which shall be made available for sale under the Plan shall be 750,000 shares.

(b) Until the shares are issued (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company), a participant shall only have the rights of an unsecured creditor with respect to such shares, and no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a shareholder shall exist with respect to such shares.

(c) Shares to be delivered to a participant under the Plan shall be registered in the name of the participant or in the name of the participant and his or her spouse.

14. Administration. The Administrator shall administer the Plan and shall have full and exclusive discretionary authority to construe, interpret and apply the terms of the Plan, to determine eligibility and to adjudicate all disputed claims filed under the Plan. Every finding, decision and determination made by the Administrator shall, to the full extent permitted by law, be final and binding upon all parties.

15. Designation of Beneficiary.

(a) A participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any shares and cash, if any, from the participant's account under the Plan in the event of such participant's death subsequent to an Exercise Date on which the option is exercised but prior to delivery to such participant of such shares and cash. In addition, a participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to receive any cash from the participant's account under the Plan in the event of such participant's death prior to exercise of the option. If a participant is married and the designated beneficiary is not the spouse, spousal consent shall be required for such designation to be effective.

(b) Such designation of beneficiary may be changed by the participant at any time by written notice. In the event of the death of a participant and in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under the Plan who is living at the time of such participant's death, the Company shall deliver such shares and/or cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of the participant, or if no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Company), the Company, in its discretion, may deliver such shares and/or cash to the spouse or to any one or more dependents or relatives of the participant, or if no spouse, dependent or relative is known to the Company, then to such other person as the Company may designate.

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(c) All beneficiary designations shall be in such form and manner as the Administrator may designate from time to time.

16. Transferability. Neither payroll deductions credited to a participant's account nor any rights with regard to the exercise of an option or to receive shares under the Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of in any way (other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution or as provided in Section 15 hereof) by the participant. Any such attempt at assignment, transfer, pledge or other disposition shall be without effect, except that the Company may treat such act as an election to withdraw funds from an Offering Period in accordance with Section 10 hereof.

17. Use of Funds. All payroll deductions received or held by the Company under the Plan may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose, and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate such payroll deductions. Until shares are issued, participants shall only have the rights of an unsecured creditor.

18. Reports. Individual accounts shall be maintained for each participant in the Plan. Statements of account shall be given to participating Employees at least annually, which statements shall set forth the amounts of payroll deductions, the Purchase Price, the number of shares purchased and the remaining cash balance, if any.

19. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization, Dissolution, Liquidation, Merger or Change of Control.

(a) Changes in Capitalization. Subject to any required action by the shareholders of the Company, the maximum number of shares of the Company's Common Stock which shall be made available for sale under the Plan, the maximum number of shares each participant may purchase per Offering Period (pursuant to Section 7), as well as the price per share and the number of shares of Common Stock covered by each option under the Plan which has not yet been exercised shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification of the Common Stock, or any other change in the number of shares of Common Stock effected without receipt of consideration by the Company; provided, however, that conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been "effected without receipt of consideration." Such adjustment shall be made by the Administrator, whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding and conclusive. Except as expressly provided herein, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of shares of Common Stock subject to an option.

(b) Dissolution or Liquidation. In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Offering Period then in progress shall be shortened by setting a new Exercise Date (the "New Exercise Date"), and shall terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed dissolution or liquidation, unless provided otherwise by the Administrator. The New Exercise Date shall be before the date of the Company's proposed dissolution or liquidation. The Administrator shall notify each participant in writing, at least ten (10) business days prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the participant's option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that the participant's option shall be exercised

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automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the participant has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 10 hereof.

(c) Merger or Change of Control. In the event of a merger or Change of Control, each outstanding option shall be assumed or an equivalent option substituted by the successor corporation or a Parent or Subsidiary of the successor corporation. In the event that the successor corporation refuses to assume or substitute for the option, the Offering Period then in progress shall be shortened by setting a new Exercise Date (the "New Exercise Date"). The New Exercise Date shall be before the date of the Company's proposed merger or Change of Control. The Administrator shall notify each participant in writing, at least ten (10) business days prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the participant's option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that the participant's option shall be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the participant has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 10 hereof.

20. Amendment or Termination.

(a) The Administrator may at any time and for any reason terminate or amend the Plan. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan, no such termination can affect options previously granted, provided that an Offering Period may be terminated by the Administrator on any Exercise Date if the Administrator determines that the termination of the Offering Period or the Plan is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. Except as provided in Section 19 and this Section 20 hereof, no amendment may make any change in any option theretofore granted which adversely affects the rights of any participant. To the extent necessary to comply with Section 423 of the Code (or any successor rule or provision or any other applicable law, regulation or stock exchange rule), the Company shall obtain shareholder approval in such a manner and to such a degree as required.

(b) Without shareholder consent and without regard to whether any participant rights may be considered to have been "adversely affected," the Administrator shall be entitled to change the Offering Periods, limit the frequency and/or number of changes in the amount withheld during an Offering Period, establish the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars, permit payroll withholding in excess of the amount designated by a participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in the Company's processing of properly completed withholding elections, establish reasonable waiting and adjustment periods and/or accounting and crediting procedures to ensure that amounts applied toward the purchase of Common Stock for each participant properly correspond with amounts withheld from the participant's Compensation, and establish such other limitations or procedures as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion advisable which are consistent with the Plan.

(c) In the event the Administrator determines that the ongoing operation of the Plan may result in unfavorable financial accounting consequences, the Administrator may, in its discretion and, to the extent necessary or desirable, modify or amend the Plan to reduce or eliminate such accounting consequence including, but not limited to:

(i) increasing the Purchase Price for any Offering Period including an Offering Period underway at the time of the change in Purchase Price;

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(ii) shortening any Offering Period so that Offering Period ends on a new Exercise Date, including an Offering Period underway at the time of the Board action; and

(iii) allocating shares.

Such modifications or amendments shall not require shareholder approval or the consent of any Plan participants.

21. Notices. All notices or other communications by a participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form and manner specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.

22. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares. Shares shall not be issued with respect to an option unless the exercise of such option and the issuance and delivery of such shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all applicable provisions of law, domestic or foreign, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the shares may then be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance.

As a condition to the exercise of an option, the Company may require the person exercising such option to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required by any of the aforementioned applicable provisions of law.

23. Term of Plan. The Plan shall become effective upon the earlier to occur of its adoption by the Board of Directors or its approval by the shareholders of the Company. It shall continue in effect until terminated under
Section 20 hereof.

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EXHIBIT A

NANOMETRICS INCORPORATED

2003 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT

          Original Application                    Enrollment Date:
---------                                                          -------------

          Change in Payroll Deduction Rate
---------

          Change of Beneficiary(ies)
---------

1. _____________________________________ hereby elects to participate in the Nanometrics Incorporated 2003 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Employee Stock Purchase Plan") and subscribes to purchase shares of the Company's Common Stock in accordance with this Subscription Agreement and the Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

2. I hereby authorize payroll deductions from each paycheck in the amount of ____% of my Compensation on each payday (from 1 to 10%) during the Offering Period in accordance with the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. (Please note that no fractional percentages are permitted.)

3. I understand that said payroll deductions shall be accumulated for the purchase of shares of Common Stock at the applicable Purchase Price determined in accordance with the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. I understand that if I do not withdraw from an Offering Period, any accumulated payroll deductions will be used to automatically exercise my option.

4. I have received a copy of the complete Employee Stock Purchase Plan. I understand that my participation in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan is in all respects subject to the terms of the Plan. I understand that my ability to exercise the option under this Subscription Agreement is subject to shareholder approval of the Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

5. Shares purchased for me under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan should be issued in the name(s) of (Eligible Employee or Eligible Employee and Spouse only): ______________________________.

6. I understand that if I dispose of any shares received by me pursuant to the Plan within 2 years after the Enrollment Date (the first day of the Offering Period during which I purchased such shares) or one year after the Exercise Date, I will be treated for federal income tax purposes as having received ordinary income at the time of such disposition in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares at the time such shares were purchased by me over the price which I paid for the shares. I hereby agree to notify the Company in writing within 30 days after the date of any disposition of shares and I will make adequate provision for Federal, state or other tax withholding obligations, if any, which arise upon the disposition of the Common Stock. The Company may, but will not be obligated to, withhold from my compensation the amount necessary to meet any applicable withholding obligation including any withholding necessary to make available to the Company any tax deductions or benefits attributable to sale or early


disposition of Common Stock by me. If I dispose of such shares at any time after the expiration of the 2-year and 1-year holding periods, I understand that I will be treated for federal income tax purposes as having received income only at the time of such disposition, and that such income will be taxed as ordinary income only to the extent of an amount equal to the lesser of (1) the excess of the fair market value of the shares at the time of such disposition over the purchase price which I paid for the shares, or
(2) 15% of the fair market value of the shares on the first day of the Offering Period. The remainder of the gain, if any, recognized on such disposition will be taxed as capital gain.

7. I hereby agree to be bound by the terms of the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. The effectiveness of this Subscription Agreement is dependent upon my eligibility to participate in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

8. In the event of my death, I hereby designate the following as my beneficiary(ies) to receive all payments and shares due me under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan:

NAME: (Please print)

(First) (Middle) (Last)


Relationship
(Address)

Employee's Social
Security Number:

Employee's Address:


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I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGHOUT SUCCESSIVE OFFERING PERIODS UNLESS TERMINATED BY ME.

Dated:


Signature of Employee


Spouse's Signature (If beneficiary other than spouse)

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EXHIBIT B

NANOMETRICS INCORPORATED

2003 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL

The undersigned participant in the Offering Period of the Nanometrics Incorporated 2003 Employee Stock Purchase Plan which began on ___________, ______ (the "Enrollment Date") hereby notifies the Company that he or she hereby withdraws from the Offering Period. He or she hereby directs the Company to pay to the undersigned as promptly as practicable all the payroll deductions credited to his or her account with respect to such Offering Period. The undersigned understands and agrees that his or her option for such Offering Period will be automatically terminated. The undersigned understands further that no further payroll deductions will be made for the purchase of shares in the current Offering Period and the undersigned shall be eligible to participate in succeeding Offering Periods only by delivering to the Company a new Subscription Agreement.

Name and Address of Participant:




Signature:


Date:

Exhibit 5.1

[Letterhead of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati]

September 3, 2003

Nanometrics Incorporated
1550 Buckeye Drive
Milpitas, CA 95035

Re: Nanometrics Incorporated Registration Statement on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-8 to be filed by you with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on or about September 3, 2003 (the "Registration Statement") in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of up to 750,000 shares of your Common Stock (the "Shares") reserved for issuance under your 2003 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "ESPP"). As your legal counsel, we have examined the proceedings taken and are familiar with the proceedings proposed to be taken by you in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares to be issued under the ESPP.

It is our opinion that, upon completion of the actions being or contemplated to be taken prior to the issuance of the Shares pursuant to the Registration Statement and the ESPP and upon completion of the actions being taken in order to permit such transactions to be carried out in accordance with the securities laws of the various states, where required, such Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

We consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and further consent to the use of our name wherever appearing in the Registration Statement, including the Prospectus constituting a part thereof, and any amendments thereto.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI
Professional Corporation


Exhibit 23.1

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement of Nanometrics Incorporated on Form S-8 of our report dated February 13, 2003 (which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph concerning the Company's change in method of accounting to conform to Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 142) appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Nanometrics Incorporated for the year ended December 31, 2002.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

San Jose, California
August 28, 2003