VEECO INSTRUMENTS INC (Form: S-8, Received: 06/02/2016 16:08:01)

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 2, 2016

Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

VEECO INSTRUMENTS INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware		11-2989601
(State or other jurisdiction of		(I.R.S. Employer
Incorporation or organization)		Identification No.)

Terminal Drive

Plainview, New York 11803

(Address of principal executive offices)

Veeco Instruments Inc. Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Incentive Plan

Veeco Instruments Inc. 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

(Full title of the Plan(s))

Gregory A. Robbins

Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

Veeco Instruments Inc.

Terminal Drive

Plainview, New York 11803

(516) 677-0200

(Name, address, telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

Copies to:

Lawrence R. Bard, Esq.

Morrison & Foerster LLP

1650 Tysons Blvd., Suite 400

McLean, Virginia 22102

(703) 760-7700

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non- accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act

(Check one):

Large accelerated filer x

Accelerated filer o

Non-accelerated filer o
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)

Smaller reporting company o

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


Title of Securities to be Registered	Amount to be registered		Proposed maximum offering price per share			Proposed maximum aggregate offering price			Amount of registration fee
Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Incentive Plan
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share	3,800,000 shares	(1)	$	17.52	(3)	$	66,576,000	(3)	$	6,704.20
2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share	750,000 shares	(2)	$	14.89	(4)	$	11,167,500	(4)	$	1,124.57

(1) Represents 3,800,000 shares reserved for issuance under the Veeco Instruments Inc. Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2010 Plan”). Such shares may be issued in the form of restricted stock or dividend equivalent rights or issued upon exercise of stock options or upon the vesting of restricted stock units or upon exercise of stock appreciation rights to be granted under the 2010 Plan. Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement also registers any additional shares of our common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Common Stock”), as may become issuable under the 2010 Plan as a result of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or similar event. This amount represents the increase in the maximum number of shares authorized for issuance over the term of the 2010 Plan from 6,750,000 shares, which were previously registered under the 2010 Plan, to 10,550,000.

(2) Represents 750,000 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Veeco Instruments Inc. 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Purchase Plan”). Such shares may be issued upon exercise of options to purchase Common Stock at a discount from the then current market price. Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act, this Registration Statement also registers any additional shares of our Common Stock as may become issuable under the Purchase Plan as a result of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or similar event.

(3) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. Pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act, the proposed maximum offering price per share and the proposed maximum aggregate offering price have been determined on the basis of the average of the high and low prices of our Common Stock as reported on The Nasdaq Stock Market on May 26, 2016.

(4) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. Pursuant to Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act, the proposed maximum offering price per share and the proposed maximum aggregate offering price have been determined on the basis of the average of the high and low prices of our Common Stock as reported on The Nasdaq Stock Market on May 26, 2016. This amount is multiplied by 0.85 (85% is the percentage of the purchase price per share of Common Stock under the Purchase Plan).

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Registration Statement is filed by Veeco Instruments Inc. (the “Company” or “Registrant”) for the purpose of registering (i) pursuant to General Instruction E to Form S-8, additional shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the 2010 Plan, and (ii) shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Purchase Plan.

On February 5, 2016, the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) approved the amendment and restatement of the 2010 Plan. The Board approved an increase to the number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the 2010 Plan to 10,550,000 shares, an increase of 3,800,000 shares over the number of shares previously authorized.

On February 5, 2016, the Board approved the Purchase Plan. The number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Purchase Plan is 750,000 shares.

The shares of Common Stock registered pursuant to this Registration Statement are of the same class of securities as the (i) 3,500,000 shares of Common Stock registered for issuance under the 2010 Plan pursuant to the currently effective Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-166852) filed on May 14, 2010 (the “2010 Registration Statement”) and (ii) 3,250,000 shares of Common Stock registered for issuance under the 2010 Plan pursuant to the currently effective Registration Statement on Form S-8 (Registration No. 333-194737) filed on March 21, 2014 (together with the 2010 Registration Statement, the “Prior Registration Statements”). The contents of the Prior Registration Statements, including any amendments thereto or filings incorporated therein, are incorporated herein by this reference. Any items in the Prior Registration Statements not expressly changed hereby shall be as set forth in the Prior Registration Statements.

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE

SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS

The information required by Part I is included in the documents sent or given to participants in the 2010 Plan and the Purchase Plan pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act. In accordance with Rule 428 and the requirements of Part I of the Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act. The Registrant will maintain a file of such documents in accordance with the provisions of Rule 428. Upon request, the registrant shall furnish the Commission or its staff a copy or copies of all of the documents included in such file.

PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

The Registrant is subject to the informational and reporting requirements of Sections 13(a), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and in accordance therewith files reports, proxy statements and other information with the Commission. The following documents, which are on file with the Commission, are incorporated in this Registration Statement by reference:

· Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, filed on February 25, 2016;

· Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, filed on May 4, 2016;

· Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on January 4, 2016, February 10, 2016, February 22, 2016, March 15, 2016, May 4, 2016, and May 6, 2016; and

· the description of the Registrant’s common stock contained in the Registrant’s registration statement on Form 8-A, filed with the Commission under Section 12 of the Exchange Act on November 18, 1994, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Registration Statement, and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which de-registers all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

Not applicable.

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

In our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, we have adopted the provisions of Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “Delaware Law”), which enables a corporation in its original certificate of incorporation or an amendment thereto to eliminate or limit the personal liability of a director for monetary damages for breach of the director’s fiduciary duty, except (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its shareholders; (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or that involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (iii) under Section 174 of the Delaware Law (providing for liability of directors for unlawful payment of dividends or unlawful stock purchases or redemptions); or (iv) for any transactions from which a director derived an improper personal benefit.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation also requires us to indemnify our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the Delaware Law, which provides that a corporation may indemnify any persons, including officers and directors, who are, or are threatened to be made, parties to any threatened, pending or completed legal action, suit or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation), by reason of the fact that such person was an officer, director, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, provided such officer, director, employee or agent acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests and, with respect to criminal proceedings, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful. A Delaware corporation may indemnify officers or directors in an action by or in the right of the corporation under the same conditions, except that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the officer or director is adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Where an officer or director is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the corporation must indemnify him or her against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) that such officer or director actually and reasonably incurred.

Our fifth amended and restated bylaws, as amended, include the following provisions in Section 6.1:

“6.1 Indemnification of Officers and Directors. Each person who was or is made a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, or is involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she (or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative), is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or a Reincorporated Predecessor (as defined below) or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation or a Reincorporated Predecessor (as defined below) as a director, officer or employee of another corporation, or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise,

including service with respect to employee benefit plans, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law, against all expenses, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith, and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided, however, that the Corporation shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnity in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board. As used herein, the term “Reincorporated Predecessor” means a corporation that is merged with and into the Corporation in a statutory merger where (a) the Corporation is the surviving corporation of such merger; (b) the primary purpose of such merger is to change the corporate domicile of the Reincorporated Predecessor to Delaware.”

We also have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers. Generally, the indemnification agreements are designed to provide the maximum protection permitted by Delaware law with respect to indemnification of a director or executive officer. Under the indemnification agreements, a director or executive officer will receive indemnification if he or she is found to have acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and with respect to any criminal action, if he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Exhibits.(1)

Unless otherwise indicated, each of the following exhibits has been previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Registrant under File No. 0-16244.

Exhibit Number	Document	Incorporated by Reference to the Following Documents
4.1	Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Veeco Instruments Inc. dated December 1, 1994, as amended June 2, 1997 and July 25, 1997	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1997, Exhibit 3.1
4.2	Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Veeco Instruments Inc. dated May 29, 1998	Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000, Exhibit 3.2
4.3	Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Veeco Instruments Inc. dated May 5, 2000	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2000, Exhibit 3.1
4.4	Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Veeco Instruments Inc. dated May 16, 2002	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2009, Exhibit 3.1
4.5	Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Veeco Instruments Inc. dated May 18, 2010	Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, Exhibit 3.8
4.6	Fifth Amended and Restated Bylaws of Veeco Instruments Inc. effective February 5, 2016	Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 10, 2016, Exhibit 3.1
5.1	Opinion of Morrison & Foerster LLP	Filed herewith
10.1	Veeco Instruments Inc. Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Incentive Plan	Filed herewith
10.2	Form of 2010 Stock Incentive Plan Stock Option Agreement (2012 rev.)	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, Exhibit 10.2
10.3	Form of 2010 Stock Incentive Plan Restricted Stock Agreement (2012 rev.)	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, Exhibit 10.3
10.4	Form of 2010 Stock Incentive Plan Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (2012 rev.)	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, Exhibit 10.4
10.5	Form of 2010 Stock Incentive Plan Restricted	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter

(1) Note to Draft: please confirm the list of exhibits.

	Stock Agreement (Non-Employee Director) (2011 rev.)	ended June 30, 2012, Exhibit 10.5
10.6	Form of 2010 Stock Incentive Plan Restricted Stock Agreement (Performance Based) (2012 rev.)	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, Exhibit 10.6
10.7	Form of 2010 Stock Incentive Plan Performance Share Agreement, effective June 2014	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2014, Exhibit 10.2
10.8	Form of 2010 Stock Incentive Plan Performance Share Agreement, effective June 2015	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2015, Exhibit 10.1
10.9	Veeco Instruments Inc. 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan	Filed herewith
23.1	Consent of Morrison & Foerster LLP	Included in Exhibit 5.1
23.2	Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm	Filed herewith
23.3	Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm	Filed herewith
24.1	Power of Attorney (included on signature page)

Item 9. Undertakings.

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:

(i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii) 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;

provided , however , that paragraphs (i) and (ii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by a Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Securities Exchange Act”), that are incorporated by reference 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.

The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Company’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities 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.

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 for expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling person 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.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, 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 Plainview, State of New York on June 2, 2016.

	VEECO INSTRUMENTS INC.

	By:	/s/ John R. Peeler
		John R. Peeler
		Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints John R. Peeler and Gregory A. Robbins, and each of them, as attorneys-in-fact, each with the power of substitution, for him in any and all capacities, to sign any amendment to this Registration Statement and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting to said attorneys-in-fact, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all the said attorney-in-fact, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully 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 as of June 2, 2016 by the following persons in the capacities indicated.

Signature		Title

/s/ JOHN R. PEELER		Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
John R. Peeler		(principal executive officer)

/s/ SHUBHAM MAHESHWARI		Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Shubham Maheshwari		(principal financial officer)

/s/ JOHN P. KIERNAN		Senior Vice President, Finance, Chief Accounting Officer, Corporate Controller and Treasurer
John P. Kiernan		(principal accounting officer)

/s/ RICHARD A. D’AMORE
Richard A. D’Amore		Director

/s/ GORDON HUNTER
Gordon Hunter		Director

/s/ KEITH D. JACKSON
Keith D. Jackson		Director

/s/ PETER J. SIMONE
Peter J. Simone		Director

/s/ THOMAS ST. DENNIS
Thomas St. Dennis		Director

INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Unless otherwise indicated, each of the following exhibits has been previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Registrant under File No. 0-16244.

Exhibit Number	Document	Incorporated by Reference to the Following Documents
4.1	Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Veeco Instruments Inc. dated December 1, 1994, as amended June 2, 1997 and July 25, 1997	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1997, Exhibit 3.1
4.2	Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Veeco Instruments Inc. dated May 29, 1998	Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000, Exhibit 3.2
4.3	Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Veeco Instruments Inc. dated May 5, 2000	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2000, Exhibit 3.1
4.4	Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Veeco Instruments Inc. dated May 16, 2002	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2009, Exhibit 3.1
4.5	Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of Veeco Instruments Inc. dated May 18, 2010	Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, Exhibit 3.8
4.6	Fifth Amended and Restated Bylaws of Veeco Instruments Inc. effective February 5, 2016	Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 10, 2016, Exhibit 3.1
5.1	Opinion of Morrison & Foerster LLP	Filed herewith
10.1	Veeco Instruments Inc. Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Incentive Plan	Filed herewith
10.2	Form of 2010 Stock Incentive Plan Stock Option Agreement (2012 rev.)	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, Exhibit 10.2
10.3	Form of 2010 Stock Incentive Plan Restricted Stock Agreement (2012 rev.)	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, Exhibit 10.3
10.4	Form of 2010 Stock Incentive Plan Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (2012 rev.)	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, Exhibit 10.4
10.5	Form of 2010 Stock Incentive Plan Restricted Stock Agreement (Non-Employee Director) (2011 rev.)	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, Exhibit 10.5
10.6	Form of 2010 Stock Incentive Plan Restricted Stock Agreement (Performance Based) (2012 rev.)	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, Exhibit 10.6
10.7	Form of 2010 Stock Incentive Plan Performance Share Agreement, effective June 2014	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2014, Exhibit 10.2
10.8	Form of 2010 Stock Incentive Plan Performance Share Agreement, effective June 2015	Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2015, Exhibit 10.1
10.9	Veeco Instruments Inc. 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan	Filed herewith
23.1	Consent of Morrison & Foerster LLP	Included in Exhibit 5.1
23.2	Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm	Filed herewith
23.3	Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm	Filed herewith
24.1	Power of Attorney (included on signature page)

Exhibit 5.1

June 2, 2016

Veeco Instruments Inc.

Terminal Drive
Plainview, New York 11803

RE: Veeco Instruments Inc. Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Incentive Plan

Veeco Instruments Inc. 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Ladies and Gentlemen:

At your request, we have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-8 to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of an aggregate of (i) 3,800,000 shares (the “2010 Plan Shares ”) of the Common Stock, $0.01 par value (the “ Common Stock ”), of Veeco Instruments Inc. (the “ Company ”), which will be issuable from time to time under the Company’s Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Incentive Plan (the “ 2010 Plan ”) and (ii) 750,000 shares (the “Purchase Plan Shares ”) of the Common Stock of the Company, which will be issuable from time to time under the Company’s 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ Purchase Plan ” and, together with the 2010 Plan, the “ Plans ”).

As your counsel in connection with the Registration Statement, we have examined the proceedings taken by you in connection with the adoption of the Plans and the authorization of the issuance of the 2010 Plan Shares and the Purchase Plan Shares, and such documents as we have deemed necessary to render this opinion. For the purpose of the opinion rendered below, we have assumed that in connection with the issuance of the 2010 Plan Shares and the Purchase Plan Shares, the Company will receive consideration in an amount not less than the aggregate par value of the 2010 Plan Shares and the Purchase Plan Shares, respectively, covered by each such issuance.

Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that the 2010 Plan Shares and the Purchase Plan Shares, when issued and outstanding pursuant to the terms of the Plans, as applicable, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock. The opinion expressed herein is limited to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the Delaware Constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting those laws, each as currently in effect.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not hereby admit that we are acting within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules or regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.

	Very truly yours,


	/s/ Morrison & Foerster LLP

Exhibit 10.1

VEECO INSTRUMENTS INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED 2010 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

1. Purposes of the Plan . The purposes of this Plan are to attract and retain the best available personnel, to provide additional incentives to Employees, Directors and Consultants and to promote the success of the Company’s business.

2. Definitions . The following definitions shall apply as used herein and in the individual Award Agreements except as defined otherwise in an individual Award Agreement. In the event a term is separately defined in an individual Award Agreement, such definition shall supersede the definition contained in this Section 2.

“ Administrator ” means the Board or any of the Committees appointed to administer the Plan. Subject to further designation by the Board, the Compensation Committee of the Board shall be the Administrator.

“ Applicable Laws ” means the legal requirements relating to the Plan and the Awards under applicable provisions of federal securities laws, state corporate and securities laws, the Code, the rules of any applicable stock exchange or national market system, and the rules of any non-U.S. jurisdiction applicable to Awards granted to residents therein.

“ Assumed ” means that pursuant to a Corporate Transaction either (i) the Award is expressly affirmed by the Company, or (ii) the contractual obligations represented by the Award are expressly assumed (and not simply by operation of law) by the successor entity or its Parent in connection with the Corporate Transaction with appropriate adjustments to the number and type of securities of the successor entity or its Parent subject to the Award and the exercise or purchase price thereof which at least preserves the compensation element of the Award existing at the time of the Corporate Transaction as determined in accordance with the instruments evidencing the agreement to assume the Award.

“ Award ” means the grant of an Option, SAR, Dividend Equivalent Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit or other right or benefit under the Plan.

“ Award Agreement ” means the written agreement or notice evidencing the grant of an Award by the Company, including the terms and conditions governing the Award and any amendments to any of them.

“ Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

“ Cause ” means, with respect to the termination by the Company or a Related Entity of the Grantee’s Continuous Service, that such termination is for “Cause” as such term (or word of like import) is expressly defined in a then-effective written agreement between the Grantee and the Company or such Related Entity, or in the absence of such then-effective written agreement and definition, is based on, in the determination of the Administrator, the Grantee’s: (i) performance of any act or failure to perform any act in bad faith and to the detriment of the Company or a Related Entity; (ii) dishonesty, intentional misconduct or material breach of any agreement with the Company or a Related Entity; or (iii) commission of a crime involving dishonesty, breach of trust, or physical or emotional harm to any person; provided, however, that with regard to any agreement that defines “Cause” on the occurrence of or in connection with a Corporate Transaction, such definition of “Cause” shall not apply until a Corporate Transaction actually occurs.

“ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

“ Committee ” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or any other committee composed of members of the Board appointed by the Board to administer the Plan.

“ Common Stock ” means the common stock of the Company.

“ Company ” means Veeco Instruments Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any successor entity that adopts the Plan in connection with a Corporate Transaction.

“ Consultant ” means any person (other than an Employee or a Director, solely with respect to rendering services in such person’s capacity as a Director) who is engaged by the Company or any Related Entity to render consulting or advisory services to the Company or such Related Entity.

“ Continuous Service ” means that the provision of services to the Company or a Related Entity in any capacity of Employee, Director or Consultant is not interrupted or terminated. In jurisdictions requiring notice in advance of an effective termination as an Employee, Director or Consultant, Continuous Service shall be deemed terminated upon the actual cessation of providing services to the Company or a Related Entity notwithstanding any required notice period that must be fulfilled before a termination as an Employee, Director or Consultant can be effective under Applicable Laws. A Grantee’s Continuous Service shall be deemed to have terminated either upon an actual termination of Continuous Service or upon the entity for which the Grantee provides services ceasing to be a Related Entity. Continuous Service shall not be considered interrupted in the case of (i) any approved leave of absence, (ii) transfers among the Company, any Related Entity, or any successor, in any capacity of Employee, Director or Consultant. Except as otherwise provided in the Award Agreement or other agreement, any change in status from Consultant to Employee shall not cause Continuous Service to be interrupted, but change in status from Employment to Consultant shall cause Continuous Service to be interrupted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, whether a change in status causes a “separation from service” under Code Section 409A shall be determined under rules applicable under Code Section 409A. An approved leave of absence shall include sick leave, military leave, or any other authorized personal leave. For purposes of each Incentive Stock Option granted under the Plan, if such leave exceeds three (3) months, and reemployment upon expiration of such leave is not guaranteed by statute or contract, then the Incentive Stock Option shall be treated as a Non-Qualified Stock Option on the day three (3) months and one (1) day following the expiration of such three (3) month period.

“ Corporate Transaction ” means any of the following transactions, provided, however, that the Administrator shall determine under parts (i) and (v) whether multiple transactions are related, and its determination shall be final, binding and conclusive:

(i) the acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act (each, a “ Person ”) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) in a single transaction or a series of related transactions of 30% or more (on a fully diluted basis) of either (A) the then outstanding shares of Common Stock, taking into account as outstanding for this purpose such Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or warrants, the conversion of convertible stock or debt, and the exercise of any similar right to acquire such common stock (the “ Outstanding Company Common Stock ”) or (B) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “ Outstanding Company Voting Securities ”); provided , however that for purposes of the Plan, the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Corporate Transaction: (I) any acquisition by the Company, (II) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Related Entity, (III) any acquisition by

any Person which complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of paragraph (v) of this definition below, or (IV) in respect of an Award held by a particular Grantee, any acquisition by the Grantee or any “affiliate” (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the Grantee. Persons described in clauses (I), (II), and (IV) of the previous sentence are referred to hereafter as “ Excluded Persons ”;

(ii) Individuals who, on the date hereof constitute the Board (the “ Incumbent Directors ”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board, provided that any person becoming a director subsequent to the date hereof, whose election or nomination for election was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the Incumbent Directors then on the Board (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the corporation in which such person is named as a nominee for director, without written objection to such nomination) shall be deemed to be an Incumbent Director; provided , however that no individual initially elected or nominated as a director of the corporation as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to directors or as a result of any other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any person other than the Board shall be deemed to be an Incumbent Director;

(iii) the dissolution or liquidation of the Company;

(iv) the sale of all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company; or

(v) the consummation of a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Company that requires the approval of the Company’s stockholders, whether for such transaction or the issuance of securities in the transaction (a “ Business Combination ”), unless immediately following such Business Combination: (A) more than 50% of the total voting power of (x) the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (the “ Surviving Corporation ”), or (y) if applicable, the ultimate parent corporation that directly or indirectly has beneficial ownership of sufficient voting securities eligible to elect a majority of the directors of the Surviving Corporation (the “ Parent Corporation ”), is represented by the Outstanding Company Voting Securities that were outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination (or, if applicable, is represented by shares into which the Outstanding Company Voting Securities were converted pursuant to such Business Combination), (B) no Person (other than any Excluded Person), is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 30% or more of the total voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to elect directors of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the Parent Corporation (or, if there is no Parent Corporation, the Surviving Corporation) following the consummation of the Business Combination were Incumbent Directors.

“ Covered Employee ” means an Employee who is a “covered employee” under Section 162(m)(3) of the Code.

“ Director ” means a member of the Board or the board of directors of any Related Entity.

“ Disability ” means “disability” as defined under the long-term disability policy of the Company or the Related Entity to which the Grantee provides services regardless of whether the Grantee is covered by such policy. If the Company or the Related Entity to which the Grantee provides service does not have a long-term disability plan in place, “Disability” means that a Grantee is unable to carry out the responsibilities and functions of the position held by the Grantee by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment for a period of not less than ninety (90)

consecutive days. A Grantee will not be considered to have incurred a Disability unless he or she furnishes proof of such impairment sufficient to satisfy the Administrator in its discretion.

“ Dividend Equivalent Right ” means a right entitling the Grantee to compensation measured by dividends paid with respect to Common Stock.

“ Employee ” means any person, including an Officer or Director, who is in the employ of the Company or any Related Entity, subject to the control and direction of the Company or any Related Entity as to both the work to be performed and the manner and method of performance. The payment of director’s fees by the Company or a Related Entity shall not be sufficient to constitute “employment” by the Company.

“ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“ Fair Market Value ” means, as of any date, the value of Common Stock determined as follows:

(i) If the Common Stock is listed on one or more established stock exchanges or national market systems, including without limitation The NASDAQ Global Select Market, The NASDAQ Global Market or The NASDAQ Capital Market of The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC, 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 the principal exchange or system on which the Common Stock is listed (as determined by the Administrator) on the last trading day prior to the date of determination (or, if no closing sales price or closing bid was reported on that date, as applicable, on the last trading date such closing sales price or closing bid was reported), as reported on www.wsj.com or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable;

(ii) In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock of the type described in (i) above, if the Common Stock is regularly quoted on an automated quotation system (including the OTC Bulletin Board) or by a recognized securities dealer, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for such stock as quoted on such system or by such securities dealer on the last trading day prior to the date of determination, but if selling prices are not reported, the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock shall be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices for the Common Stock on the date of determination (or, if no such prices were reported on that date, on the last date such prices were reported), as reported on www.wsj.com or such other source as the Administrator deems reliable; or

(iii) In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock of the type described in (i) and (ii), above, the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined by the Administrator in good faith.

“ Grantee ” means an Employee, Director or Consultant who receives an Award under the Plan.

“ Incentive Stock Option ” means an Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

“ Non-Qualified Stock Option ” means an Option not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.

“ Officer ” means a person who is an officer of the Company or a Related Entity within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

“ Option ” means an option to purchase Shares pursuant to an Award Agreement granted under the Plan.

“ Parent ” means a “parent corporation”, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

“ Performance-Based Compensation ” means compensation qualifying as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.

“ Plan ” means this Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Incentive Plan.

“ Related Entity ” means any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company.

“ Replaced ” means that pursuant to a Corporate Transaction the Award is replaced with a comparable stock award or a cash incentive program of the Company, the successor entity (if applicable) or Parent of either of them which preserves the compensation element of such Award existing at the time of the Corporate Transaction and provides for subsequent payout in accordance with the same (or a more favorable) vesting schedule applicable to such Award. The determination of Award comparability shall be made by the Administrator and its determination shall be final, binding and conclusive.

“ Restricted Stock ” means Shares issued under the Plan to the Grantee for such consideration, if any, and subject to such restrictions on transfer, rights of first refusal, repurchase provisions, forfeiture provisions, and other terms and conditions as established by the Administrator.

“ Restricted Stock Units ” means an Award which may be earned in whole or in part upon the passage of time or the attainment of performance criteria established by the Administrator and which may be settled for cash, Shares or other securities or a combination of cash, Shares or other securities as established by the Administrator.

“ Rule 16b-3 ” means Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act or any successor thereto.

“ SAR ” means a stock appreciation right entitling the Grantee to Shares or cash compensation, as established by the Administrator, measured by appreciation in the value of Common Stock.

“ Share ” means a share of the Common Stock.

“ Subsidiary ” means a “subsidiary corporation”, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

3. Stock Subject to the Plan .

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 10, below, the maximum aggregate number of Shares which may be issued pursuant to all Awards is 10,550,000 Shares; provided, however, that the maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be issued pursuant to Incentive Stock Options is 3,000,000 Shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Shares issued in connection with Awards other than Options and SARs shall be counted against the limit set forth herein as one and one-half (1.5) Shares for every one (1) Share issued in connection with such Award (and shall be counted as one and one-half (1.5) Shares for every one (1) Share returned or deemed not have been issued from the Plan pursuant to Section 3(b) below in connection with Awards other than

Options and SARs). The Shares to be issued pursuant to Awards may be authorized, but unissued, or reacquired Common Stock.

(b) Any Shares covered by an Award (or portion of an Award), including an Award (or portion of an Award) originally granted under the Inducement Plan, which is forfeited, canceled or expires (whether voluntarily or involuntarily) shall again be available for grant and issuance pursuant to Awards under the Plan. Shares that actually have been issued under the Plan pursuant to an Award shall not be returned to the Plan and shall not become available for future issuance under the Plan, except that if unvested Shares are forfeited, or repurchased by the Company at the lower of their original purchase price or their Fair Market Value at the time of repurchase, such Shares shall become available for future grant under the Plan. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein: (i) Shares tendered or withheld in payment of an Option exercise price shall not be returned to the Plan and shall not become available for future issuance under the Plan; (ii) Shares withheld by the Company to satisfy any tax withholding obligation shall not be returned to the Plan and shall not become available for future issuance under the Plan; and (iii) all Shares covered by the portion of an SAR that is exercised (whether or not Shares are actually issued to the Grantee upon exercise of the SAR) shall be considered issued pursuant to the Plan.

4. Administration of the Plan .

(a) Plan Administrator .

(i) Administration with Respect to Directors and Officers . With respect to grants of Awards to Directors or Employees who are also Officers or Directors of the Company, the Plan shall be administered by (A) the Board or (B) a Committee designated by the Board, which Committee shall be constituted in such a manner as to satisfy the Applicable Laws and to permit such grants and related transactions under the Plan to be exempt from Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act in accordance with Rule 16b-3. Once appointed, such Committee shall continue to serve in its designated capacity until otherwise directed by the Board.

(ii) Administration With Respect to Consultants and Other Employees . With respect to grants of Awards to Employees or Consultants who are neither Directors nor Officers of the Company, the Plan shall be administered by (A) the Board or (B) a Committee designated by the Board, which Committee shall be constituted in such a manner as to satisfy the Applicable Laws. Once appointed, such Committee shall continue to serve in its designated capacity until otherwise directed by the Board. The Board may authorize one or more Officers to grant such Awards and may limit such authority as the Board determines from time to time.

(iii) Administration With Respect to Covered Employees . Notwithstanding the foregoing, grants of Awards to any Covered Employee intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation shall be made only by a Committee (or subcommittee of a Committee) which is comprised solely of two or more Directors eligible to serve on a committee making Awards qualifying as Performance-Based Compensation. In the case of such Awards granted to Covered Employees, references to the “Administrator” or to a “Committee” shall be deemed to be references to such Committee or subcommittee.

(iv) Administration Errors . In the event an Award is granted in a manner inconsistent with the provisions of this subsection (a), such Award shall be presumptively valid as of its grant date to the extent permitted by the Applicable Laws.

(b) Powers of the Administrator . Subject to Applicable Laws and the provisions of the Plan (including any other powers given to the Administrator hereunder), and except as otherwise provided by the Board, the Administrator shall have the authority, in its discretion:

(i) to select the Employees, Directors and Consultants to whom Awards may be granted from time to time hereunder;

(ii) to determine whether and to what extent Awards are granted hereunder;

(iii) to determine the number of Shares or the amount of other consideration to be covered by each Award granted hereunder;

(iv) to approve forms of Award Agreements for use under the Plan;

(v) to determine the terms and conditions of any Award granted hereunder;

(vi) to amend the terms of any outstanding Award granted under the Plan, provided that (A) following the approval of the Plan by stockholders in 2016, Awards of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Dividend Equivalent Rights payable in Shares covering no more than (5%) of the Shares authorized for issuance under the Plan shall be subject to acceleration of vesting that would cause such Award to vest any earlier than one year from the date of grant, except in connection with the Grantee’s death or Disability or a Corporate Transaction, (B) any amendment that would adversely affect the Grantee’s rights under an outstanding Award shall not be made without the Grantee’s written consent, provided , however , that an amendment or modification that may cause an Incentive Stock Option to become a Non-Qualified Stock Option shall not be treated as adversely affecting the rights of the Grantee, (C) the reduction of the exercise price of any Option awarded under the Plan and the base appreciation amount of any SAR awarded under the Plan shall be subject to stockholder approval, and (D) canceling an Option or SAR at a time when its exercise price or base appreciation amount (as applicable) exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares, in exchange for another Option, SAR, Restricted Stock, or other Award, or for cash, shall be subject to stockholder approval, unless the cancellation and exchange occurs in connection with a Corporate Transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, canceling an Option or SAR in exchange for another Option, SAR, Restricted Stock, or other Award with an exercise price, purchase price or base appreciation amount (as applicable) that is equal to or greater than the exercise price or base appreciation amount (as applicable) of the original Option or SAR shall not be subject to stockholder approval;

(vii) to construe and interpret the terms of the Plan and Awards, including without limitation, any Award Agreement, granted pursuant to the Plan;

(viii) to grant Awards to Employees, Directors and Consultants employed outside the United States on such terms and conditions different from those specified in the Plan as may, in the judgment of the Administrator, be necessary or desirable to further the purpose of the Plan; and

(ix) to take such other action, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the Administrator deems appropriate.

The express grant in the Plan of any specific power to the Administrator shall not be construed as limiting any power or authority of the Administrator; provided that the Administrator may not exercise any right or power reserved to the Board. Any decision made, or action taken, by the Administrator or in connection with the administration of this Plan shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons having an interest in the Plan.

(c) Indemnification . In addition to such other rights of indemnification as they may have as members of the Board or as Officers or Employees of the Company or a Related Entity, members of the Board and any Officers or Employees of the Company or a Related Entity to whom authority to act for the Board, the Administrator or the Company is delegated shall be defended and indemnified by the Company to the extent permitted by law on an after-tax basis against all reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees, actually and necessarily incurred in connection with the defense of any claim, investigation, action, suit or proceeding, or in connection with any appeal therein, to which they or any of them may be a party by reason of any action taken or failure to act under or in connection with the Plan, or any Award granted hereunder, and against all amounts paid by them in settlement thereof (provided such settlement is approved by the Company) or paid by them in satisfaction of a judgment in any such claim, investigation, action, suit or proceeding, except in relation to matters as to which it shall be adjudged in such claim, investigation, action, suit or proceeding that such person is liable for gross negligence, bad faith or intentional misconduct; provided, however, that within thirty (30) days after the institution of such claim, investigation, action, suit or proceeding, such person shall offer to the Company, in writing, the opportunity at the Company’s expense to defend the same. To the extent required by Applicable Laws, the payment of expenses incurred in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding shall be made only upon delivery to the Company of an undertaking by or on behalf of the individual to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.

5. Eligibility . Awards other than Incentive Stock Options may be granted to Employees, Directors and Consultants. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Employees of the Company or a Parent or a Subsidiary of the Company. An Employee, Director or Consultant who has been granted an Award may, if otherwise eligible, be granted additional Awards. Awards may be granted to such Employees, Directors or Consultants who are residing in non-U.S. jurisdictions as the Administrator may determine from time to time.

6. Terms and Conditions of Awards .

(a) Types of Awards . The Administrator is authorized under the Plan to award any type of arrangement to an Employee, Director or Consultant that is not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan and that by its terms involves or might involve the issuance of (i) Shares, (ii) cash or (iii) an Option, a SAR, or similar right with a fixed or variable price related to the Fair Market Value of the Shares and with an exercise or conversion privilege related to the passage of time, the occurrence of one or more events, or the satisfaction of performance criteria or other conditions. Such awards include, without limitation, Options, SARs, sales or bonuses of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Dividend Equivalent Rights, and an Award may consist of one such security or benefit, or two (2) or more of them in any combination or alternative.

(b) Designation of Award . Each Award shall be designated in the Award Agreement. In the case of an Option, the Option shall be a Non-Qualified Stock Option unless specifically designated as an Incentive Stock Option. However, notwithstanding such designation, an Option will qualify as an Incentive Stock Option under the Code only to the extent the $100,000 limitation of Section 422(d) of the Code is not exceeded. The $100,000 limitation of Section 422(d) of the Code is calculated based on the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to Options designated as Incentive Stock Options which become exercisable for the first time by a Grantee during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company). For purposes of this calculation, Incentive Stock Options shall be taken into account in the order in which they were granted, and the Fair Market Value of the Shares shall be determined as of the grant date of the relevant Option. In the event that the Code or the regulations promulgated thereunder are amended after the date the Plan becomes effective to provide for a different limit on the Fair Market Value of Shares permitted to be subject to Incentive Stock Options,

then such different limit will be automatically incorporated herein and will apply to any Options granted after the effective date of such amendment.

(c) Conditions of Award . Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Administrator shall determine the provisions, terms, and conditions of each Award, which may include, without limitation, the Award vesting schedule, repurchase provisions, rights of first refusal, forfeiture provisions, form of payment (cash, Shares, or other consideration) upon settlement of the Award, payment contingencies, and satisfaction of any performance criteria. The performance criteria established by the Administrator may be based on any one, or any combination of, the following: (1) share price, (2) earnings per share, (3) total stockholder return, (4) operating margin, (5) gross margin, (6) return on equity, (7) return on assets, (8) return on investment, (9) operating income, (10) net operating income, (11) pre-tax profit, (12) cash flow, (13) revenue, (14) expenses, (15) earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation, (16) economic value added, (17) market share, (18) net income, (19) personal goals, (20) sales, (21) improvements in capital structure, (22) earnings before interest, taxes and amortization, (23) budget comparisons, (24) controllable profits, (25) expense management, (26) improvements in capital structure), (27) profit margins, (28) operating or gross margin, (29) profitability of an identifiable business unit or product, (30) cash flow, operating cash flow, or cash flow or operating cash flow per share, (31) reduction in costs, (32) return on capital, (33) improvement in or attainment of expense levels or working capital level, (34) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, and (35) bookings or orders. The performance criteria may be applicable to the Company, Related Entities and/or any individual business units of the Company or any Related Entity. Partial achievement of the specified criteria may result in a payment or vesting corresponding to the degree of achievement as specified in the Award Agreement. In addition, the performance criteria shall be calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, but excluding the effect (whether positive or negative) of any change in accounting standards and any significant unusual or infrequently occurring item, as determined by the Administrator, occurring after the establishment of the performance criteria applicable to the Award intended to be performance-based compensation. Each such adjustment, if any, shall be made solely for the purpose of providing a consistent basis from period to period for the calculation of performance criteria in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of the Grantee’s rights with respect to an Award intended to be performance-based compensation.

(d) Acquisitions and Other Transactions . The Administrator may issue Awards under the Plan in settlement, assumption or substitution for, outstanding awards or obligations to grant future awards in connection with the Company or a Related Entity acquiring another entity, an interest in another entity or an additional interest in a Related Entity whether by merger, stock purchase, asset purchase or other form of transaction.

(e) Deferral of Award Payment . The Administrator may establish one or more programs under the Plan to permit selected Grantees the opportunity to elect to defer receipt of consideration upon exercise of an Award, satisfaction of performance criteria, or other event that absent the election would entitle the Grantee to payment or receipt of Shares or other consideration under an Award. The Administrator may establish the election procedures, the timing of such elections, the mechanisms for payments of, and accrual of interest or other earnings, if any, on amounts, Shares or other consideration so deferred, and such other terms, conditions, rules and procedures that the Administrator deems advisable for the administration of any such deferral program.

(f) Separate Programs . The Administrator may establish one or more separate programs under the Plan for the purpose of issuing particular forms of Awards to one or more classes of Grantees on such terms and conditions as determined by the Administrator from time to time.

(g) Individual Limitations on Awards .

(i) Individual Limit for Options and SARs . The maximum number of Shares with respect to which Options and SARs may be granted to any Grantee in any calendar year shall be three hundred thousand (300,000) Shares. The foregoing limitations shall be adjusted proportionately in connection with any change in the Company’s capitalization pursuant to Section 10, below. To the extent required by Section 162(m) of the Code or the regulations thereunder, in applying the foregoing limitations with respect to a Grantee, if any Option or SAR is canceled, the canceled Option or SAR shall continue to count against the maximum number of Shares with respect to which Options and SARs may be granted to the Grantee. For this purpose, the repricing of an Option (or in the case of a SAR, the reduction of the base amount on which the stock appreciation is calculated to reflect a reduction in the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock) shall be treated as the cancellation of the existing Option or SAR and the grant of a new Option or SAR.

(ii) Individual Limit for Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units . For awards of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units, the maximum number of Shares with respect to which such Awards may be granted to any Grantee in any calendar year shall be two hundred thousand (200,000) Shares. The foregoing limitation shall be adjusted proportionately in connection with any change in the Company’s capitalization pursuant to Section 10, below.

(h) Deferral . If the vesting or receipt of Shares under an Award is deferred to a later date, any amount (whether denominated in Shares or cash) paid in addition to the original number of Shares subject to such Award will not be treated as an increase in the number of Shares subject to the Award if the additional amount is based either on a reasonable rate of interest or on one or more predetermined actual investments such that the amount payable by the Company at the later date will be based on the actual rate of return of a specific investment (including any decrease as well as any increase in the value of an investment).

(i) Term of Award . The term of each Award shall be the term stated in the Award Agreement, provided, however, that the term of an Award shall be no more than ten (10) years from the date of grant thereof. However, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Grantee who, at the time the Option is granted, owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company, the term of the Incentive Stock Option shall be five (5) years from the date of grant thereof or such shorter term as may be provided in the Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the specified term of any Award shall not include any period for which the Grantee has elected to defer the receipt of the Shares or cash issuable pursuant to the Award.

(j) Transferability of Awards . Awards may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of in any manner other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Grantee, only by the Grantee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Grantee may designate one or more beneficiaries of the Grantee’s Award in the event of the Grantee’s death on a beneficiary designation form provided by the Administrator.

(k) Time of Granting Awards . The date of grant of an Award shall for all purposes be the date on which the Administrator makes the determination to grant such Award, or such other later date as is determined by the Administrator.

(l) Minimum Vesting . Effective upon stockholder approval of the Plan in 2016, newly granted Awards of Restricted Stock, RSUs and Dividend Equivalent Rights payable in Shares which vest based on the Grantee’s Continuous Service shall not provide for vesting which is any

more rapid than vesting after one (1) year, and newly granted Awards of Restricted Stock, RSUs and Dividend Equivalent Rights payable in Shares which vest upon the attainment of Performance Criteria shall provide for a Performance Period of at least one (1) year. Notwithstanding any contrary provision of the Plan, following the effectiveness of this section 6(l), Awards of Restricted Stock, RSUs and Dividend Equivalent Rights payable in Shares covering a maximum of five percent (5%) of the Shares authorized for issuance under the Plan may be granted without regard to the limitations of this Section 6(l).

7. Award Exercise or Purchase Price, Consideration and Taxes .

(a) Exercise or Purchase Price . The exercise or purchase price, if any, for an Award shall be as follows:

(i) In the case of an Incentive Stock Option:

(A) granted to an Employee who, at the time of the grant of such Incentive Stock Option owns stock representing more than ten percent (10%) of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company, the per Share exercise price shall be not less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant; or

(B) granted to any Employee other than an Employee described in the preceding paragraph, the per Share exercise price shall be not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.

(ii) In the case of a Non-Qualified Stock Option, the per Share exercise price shall be not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.

(iii) In the case of Awards intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the exercise or purchase price, if any, shall be not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.

(iv) In the case of SARs, the base appreciation amount shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant.

(v) In the case of other Awards, such price as is determined by the Administrator.

(vi) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 7(a), in the case of an Award issued pursuant to Section 6(d), above, the exercise or purchase price for the Award shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the relevant instrument evidencing the agreement to issue such Award.

(b) Consideration . Subject to Applicable Laws, the consideration to be paid for the Shares to be issued upon exercise or purchase of an Award including the method of payment, shall be determined by the Administrator. In addition to any other types of consideration the Administrator may determine, the Administrator is authorized to accept as consideration for Shares issued under the Plan the following, provided that the portion of the consideration equal to the par value of the Shares must be paid in cash or other legal consideration permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law:

(i) cash;

(ii) check;

(iii) surrender of Shares or delivery of a properly executed form of attestation of ownership of Shares as the Administrator may require which have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender or attestation equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which said Award shall be exercised;

(iv) with respect to Options, payment through a broker-dealer sale and remittance procedure pursuant to which the Grantee (A) shall provide written instructions to a Company-designated or Company-approved brokerage firm to effect the immediate sale of some or all of the purchased Shares and remit to the Company sufficient funds to cover the aggregate exercise price payable for the purchased Shares and (B) shall provide written directives to the Company to deliver the certificates for the purchased Shares directly to such brokerage firm in order to complete the sale transaction;

(v) with respect to Options, payment through a “net exercise” such that, without the payment of any funds, the Grantee may exercise the Option and receive the net number of Shares equal to (i) the number of Shares as to which the Option is being exercised, multiplied by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the Fair Market Value per Share (on such date as is determined by the Administrator) less the Exercise Price per Share, and the denominator of which is such Fair Market Value per Share (the number of net Shares to be received shall be rounded down to the nearest whole number of Shares); or

(vi) any combination of the foregoing methods of payment.

The Administrator may at any time or from time to time, by adoption of or by amendment to the standard forms of Award Agreement described in Section 4(b)(iv), or by other means, grant Awards which do not permit all of the foregoing forms of consideration to be used in payment for the Shares or which otherwise restrict one or more forms of consideration.

(c) Taxes . No Shares shall be delivered under the Plan to any Grantee or other person until such Grantee or other person has made arrangements acceptable to the Administrator for the satisfaction of any non-U.S., federal, state, or local income and employment tax withholding obligations, including, without limitation, obligations incident to the receipt of Shares. Upon exercise or vesting of an Award, the Company shall withhold or collect from the Grantee an amount sufficient to satisfy such tax obligations, including, but not limited to, by surrender of the whole number of Shares covered by the Award with a Fair Market Value sufficient to satisfy the minimum applicable tax withholding obligations incident to the exercise or vesting of an Award (reduced to the lowest whole number of Shares if such number of Shares withheld would result in withholding a fractional Share with any remaining tax withholding settled in cash).

8. Exercise of Award .

(a) Procedure for Exercise; Rights as a Stockholder .

(i) Any Award granted hereunder shall be exercisable at such times and under such conditions as determined by the Administrator under the terms of the Plan and specified in the Award Agreement.

(ii) An Award shall be deemed to be exercised when written or electronic notice of such exercise has been given to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Award by the person entitled to exercise the Award and full payment for the Shares with respect to which

the Award is exercised has been made, including, to the extent selected, use of the broker-dealer sale and remittance procedure to pay the purchase price as provided in Section 7(b)(iv).

(b) Exercise of Award Following Termination of Continuous Service .

(i) An Award may not be exercised after the termination date of such Award set forth in the Award Agreement and may be exercised following the termination of a Grantee’s Continuous Service only to the extent provided in the Award Agreement or another applicable agreement between the Company and the Grantee.

(ii) Where the Award Agreement or another applicable agreement between the Company and the Grantee permits a Grantee to exercise an Award following the termination of the Grantee’s Continuous Service for a specified period, the Award shall terminate to the extent not exercised on the last day of the specified period or the last day of the original term of the Award, whichever occurs first.

(iii) Any Award designated as an Incentive Stock Option to the extent not exercised within the time permitted by law for the exercise of Incentive Stock Options following the termination of a Grantee’s Continuous Service shall convert automatically to a Non-Qualified Stock Option and thereafter shall be exercisable as such to the extent exercisable by its terms for the period specified in the Award Agreement or another applicable agreement between the Company and the Grantee.

9. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares .

(a) If at any time the Administrator determines that the delivery of Shares pursuant to the exercise, vesting or any other provision of an Award is or may be unlawful under Applicable Laws, the vesting or right to exercise an Award or to otherwise receive Shares pursuant to the terms of an Award shall be suspended until the Administrator determines that such delivery is lawful and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. The Company shall have no obligation to effect any registration or qualification of the Shares under federal or state laws.

(b) As a condition to the exercise of an Award, the Company may require the person exercising such Award 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 Applicable Laws.

10. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization . Subject to any required action by the stockholders of the Company and Section 11 hereof, the number of Shares covered by each outstanding Award, and the number of Shares which have been authorized for issuance under the Plan but as to which no Awards have yet been granted or which have been returned to the Plan, the exercise or purchase price of each such outstanding Award, the maximum number of Shares with respect to which Awards may be granted to any Grantee in any calendar year, as well as any other terms that the Administrator determines require adjustment shall be proportionately adjusted for (i) any increase or decrease in the number of issued Shares resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification of the Shares, or similar transaction affecting the Shares, (ii) any other increase or decrease in the number of issued Shares effected without receipt of consideration by the Company, or (iii) any other transaction with respect to Common Stock including a corporate merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, separation (including a spin-off or other distribution of stock or property), reorganization, liquidation (whether partial or complete) or any similar transaction; provided, however that conversion of any

convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been “effected without receipt of consideration.” In the event of any distribution of cash or other assets to stockholders other than a normal cash dividend, the Administrator shall also make such adjustments as provided in this Section 10 or substitute, exchange or grant Awards to effect such adjustments (collectively “adjustments”). Any such adjustments to outstanding Awards will be effected in a manner that precludes the enlargement of rights and benefits under such Awards. In connection with the foregoing adjustments, the Administrator may, in its discretion, prohibit the exercise of Awards or other issuance of Shares, cash or other consideration pursuant to Awards during certain periods of time. Except as the Administrator determines, no issuance by the Company of shares of any class, or securities convertible into shares of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason hereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of Shares subject to an Award.

11. Corporate Transactions .

(a) Termination of Award in Connection with Corporate Transaction . The Administrator may determine that, as provided in a definitive agreement governing a Corporate Transaction, effective upon the consummation of a Corporate Transaction, all outstanding Awards under the Plan shall terminate. However, all such Awards shall not terminate to the extent they are Assumed in connection with the Corporate Transaction.

(b) Acceleration of Award Upon Corporate Transaction . Except as provided otherwise in an individual Award Agreement or other applicable agreement between the Company and the Grantee, in the event of a Corporate Transaction, for the portion of each Award that is neither Assumed nor Replaced, such portion of the Award shall automatically become fully vested and exercisable and be released from any repurchase or forfeiture rights (other than repurchase rights exercisable at Fair Market Value) for all of the Shares (or other consideration) at the time represented by such portion of the Award, immediately prior to the specified effective date of such Corporate Transaction, provided that the Grantee’s Continuous Service has not terminated prior to such date.

(c) Effect of Acceleration on Incentive Stock Options . Any Incentive Stock Option accelerated under this Section 11 in connection with a Corporate Transaction shall remain exercisable as an Incentive Stock Option under the Code only to the extent the $100,000 dollar limitation of Section 422(d) of the Code is not exceeded.

12. Effective Date and Term of Plan . The Plan shall become effective upon the earlier to occur of its adoption by the Board or its approval by the stockholders of the Company. It shall continue in effect for a term of ten (10) years unless sooner terminated. Subject to Section 17, below, and Applicable Laws, Awards may be granted under the Plan upon its becoming effective.

13. Amendment, Suspension or Termination of the Plan .

(a) The Board may at any time amend, suspend or terminate the Plan; provided, however, that no such amendment shall be made without the approval of the Company’s stockholders to the extent such approval is required by Applicable Laws, or if such amendment would lessen the stockholder approval requirements of Section 4(b)(vi) or this Section 13(a).

(b) No Award may be granted during any suspension of the Plan or after termination of the Plan.

(c) No suspension or termination of the Plan (including termination of the Plan under Section 12, above) shall adversely affect any rights under Awards already granted to a Grantee.

14. Reservation of Shares .

(a) The Company, during the term of the Plan, will at all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares as shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.

(b) The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve the Company of any liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.

15. No Effect on Terms of Employment/Consulting Relationship . The Plan shall not confer upon any Grantee any right with respect to the Grantee’s Continuous Service, nor shall it interfere in any way with his or her right or the right of the Company or any Related Entity to terminate the Grantee’s Continuous Service at any time, with or without cause including, but not limited to, Cause, and with or without notice. The ability of the Company or any Related Entity to terminate the employment of a Grantee who is employed at will is in no way affected by its determination that the Grantee’s Continuous Service has been terminated for Cause for the purposes of this Plan.

16. No Effect on Retirement and Other Benefit Plans . Except as specifically provided in a retirement or other benefit plan of the Company or a Related Entity, Awards shall not be deemed compensation for purposes of computing benefits or contributions under any retirement plan of the Company or a Related Entity, and shall not affect any benefits under any other benefit plan of any kind or any benefit plan subsequently instituted under which the availability or amount of benefits is related to level of compensation. The Plan is not a “Pension Plan” or “Welfare Plan” under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

17. Stockholder Approval . The grant of Incentive Stock Options under the Plan shall be subject to approval by the stockholders of the Company within twelve (12) months before or after the date the Plan is adopted excluding Incentive Stock Options issued in substitution for outstanding Incentive Stock Options pursuant to Section 424(a) of the Code. Such stockholder approval shall be obtained in the degree and manner required under Applicable Laws. The Administrator may grant Incentive Stock Options under the Plan prior to approval by the stockholders, but until such approval is obtained, no such Incentive Stock Option shall be exercisable. In the event that stockholder approval is not obtained within the twelve (12) month period provided above, all Incentive Stock Options previously granted under the Plan shall be exercisable as Non-Qualified Stock Options.

18. Unfunded Obligation . Grantees shall have the status of general unsecured creditors of the Company. Any amounts payable to Grantees pursuant to the Plan shall be unfunded and unsecured obligations for all purposes, including, without limitation, Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. Neither the Company nor any Related Entity shall be required to segregate any monies from its general funds, or to create any trusts, or establish any special accounts with respect to such obligations. The Company shall retain at all times beneficial ownership of any investments, including trust investments, which the Company may make to fulfill its payment obligations hereunder. Any investments or the creation or maintenance of any trust or any Grantee account shall not create or constitute a trust or fiduciary relationship between the Administrator, the Company or any Related Entity and a Grantee, or otherwise create any vested or beneficial interest in any Grantee or the Grantee’s creditors in any assets of the Company or a Related Entity. The Grantees shall have no claim against the Company or any Related Entity for any changes in the value of any assets that may be invested or reinvested by the Company with respect to the Plan.

19. Construction . Captions and titles contained herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision of the Plan. Except when otherwise indicated by the context, the singular shall include the plural and the plural shall include the singular. Use of the term “or” is not intended to be exclusive, unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

20. Nonexclusivity of the Plan . Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board, the submission of the Plan to the stockholders of the Company for approval, nor any provision of the Plan will be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such additional compensation arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of Awards otherwise than under the Plan, and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.

* * * * *

Exhibit 10.9

VEECO INSTRUMENTS INC.
2016 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

21. Purpose . The purpose of the Plan is to provide Employees of the Company and its Designated Parents or 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 Code and the applicable regulations thereunder. The provisions of the Plan, will be construed so as to extend and limit participation in a manner consistent with the requirements of that section of the Code.

22. Definitions . As used herein, the following definitions apply:

“ Administrator ” means either the Board or a committee of the Board that is responsible for the administration of the Plan as is designated from time to time by resolution of the Board.

“ Applicable Laws ” means the legal requirements relating to the administration of employee stock purchase plans, if any, under applicable provisions of federal securities laws, state corporate and securities laws, the Code and the applicable regulations thereunder, the rules of any applicable stock exchange or national market system, and the rules of any foreign jurisdiction applicable to participation in the Plan by residents therein.

“ Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

“ Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

“ Common Stock ” means the common stock of the Company.

“ Company ” means Veeco Instruments Inc., a Delaware corporation.

“ Compensation ” means, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, an Employee’s United States payroll base salary from the Company or one or more Designated Parents or Subsidiaries, including such amounts of base salary as are deferred by the Employee: (i) under a qualified cash or deferred arrangement described in Section 401(k) of the Code; or (ii) to a plan qualified under Section 125 of the Code. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, “Compensation” does not include overtime, bonuses, commissions, annual awards, other incentive payments, reimbursements or other expense allowances, fringe benefits (cash or non-cash), moving expenses, deferred compensation, contributions (other than contributions described in the first sentence) made on the Employee’s behalf by the Company or one or more Designated Parents or Subsidiaries under any employee benefit or welfare plan now or hereafter established, and any other payments not specifically referenced in the first sentence.

“ Corporate Transaction ” means any of the following transactions, provided, however, that the Administrator will determine under parts (iv) and (v) whether multiple transactions are related, and its determination is final, binding and conclusive:

(i) a merger or consolidation of the Company in which the Company is not the surviving entity, except for a transaction the principal purpose of which is to change the jurisdiction in which the Company is incorporated;

(ii) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company;

(iii) the complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company;

(iv) any reverse merger or series of related transactions culminating in a reverse merger (including, but not limited to, a tender offer followed by a reverse merger) in which the Company is the surviving entity but (A) the shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to such merger are converted or exchanged by virtue of the merger into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise, or (B) in which securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities are transferred to a person or persons different from those who held such securities immediately prior to such merger or the initial transaction culminating in such merger, but excluding any such transaction or series of related transactions that the Administrator determines is not a Corporate Transaction; or

(v) acquisition in a single transaction or series of related transactions by any person or related group of persons (other than the Company or by a Company-sponsored employee benefit plan) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act) of securities possessing more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities but excluding any such transaction or series of related transactions that the Administrator determines is not a Corporate Transaction.

“ Designated Parents or Subsidiaries ” means the Parents or Subsidiaries, which have been designated by the Administrator from time to time as eligible to participate in the Plan.

“ Effective Date ” means the date of the Plan’s adoption by the Board.

“ Employee ” means any individual, including an officer or director, who is an employee of the Company or a Designated Parent or Subsidiary for purposes of Section 423 of the Code. For purposes of the Plan, the employment relationship will be treated as continuing intact while the individual is on sick leave or other leave of absence approved by the individual’s employer. Where the period of leave exceeds three (3) months and the individual’s right to reemployment is not guaranteed either by statute or by contract, the employment relationship will be deemed to have terminated on the day that is three (3) months and one (1) day following the start of such leave, for purposes of determining eligibility to participate in the Plan.

“ Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

“ Exercise Date ” means the last day of each Purchase Period.

“ Fair Market Value ” means, as of any date, the value of Common Stock determined as follows:

(i) If the Common Stock is listed on one or more established stock exchanges, including without limitation, the Nasdaq Stock Market, its Fair Market Value will be the closing sales price for such stock (or the closing bid, if no sales were reported) as quoted on the principal exchange or system on which the Common Stock is listed (as determined by the Administrator) on the date of determination (or, if no closing sales price or closing bid was reported on that date, as applicable, on the last trading date such closing sales price or closing bid was reported), as reported in such source as the Administrator deems reliable;

(ii) If the Common Stock is regularly quoted on an automated quotation system (including the OTC Bulletin Board) or by a recognized securities dealer, but selling prices are

not reported, its Fair Market Value will be the mean between the high bid and low asked prices for the Common Stock on the date of determination (or, if no such prices were reported on that date, on the last date such prices were reported), as reported in such source as the Administrator deems reliable; or

(iii) In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock of the type described in (i) and (ii), above, its Fair Market Value thereof will be determined by the Administrator in good faith.

“ New Exercise Date ” has the meaning set forth in Section 18(b).

“ Offer Period ” means an Offer Period established pursuant to Section 24 hereof.

“ Offering ” means an offer under this Plan of an Option that may be exercised during an Offer Period. For purposes of the Plan, all Employees eligible to participate pursuant to Section 3 will be deemed to participate in the same Offering unless the Administrator otherwise determines that Employees of the Company or one or more Designated Parents or Subsidiaries will be deemed to participate in separate Offerings, in which case the Offerings will be considered separate even if the dates of each such Offering are identical and the provisions of the Plan will separately apply to each Offering. To the extent permitted by Section 1.423-2(a)(1) of the Treasury regulations issued under Section 423 of the Code, the terms of each Offering need not be identical provided that the terms of the Plan and the Offering together satisfy Sections 1.423-2(a)(2) and (a)(3) of such Treasury regulations.

“ Offering Date ” means the first day of each Offer Period.

“ Option ” means, with respect to each Offer Period, a right to purchase shares of Common Stock on the Exercise Date for such Offer Period in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan.

“ Parent ” means a “parent corporation” of the Company, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

“ Participant ” means an Employee of the Company or Designated Parent or Subsidiary who has enrolled in the Plan as set forth in Section 5(a).

“ Plan ” means this Veeco Instruments Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

“ Purchase Period ” means, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, a period of approximately six months.

“ Purchase Price ” means, unless determined otherwise by the Administrator, an amount equal to eighty-five percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Offering Date or on the Exercise Date, whichever is lower.

“ Reserves ” means, as of any date, the sum of: (1) the number of shares of Common Stock covered by each then outstanding Option under the Plan which has not yet been exercised; and (2) the number of shares of Common Stock which have been authorized for issuance under the Plan but not then subject to an outstanding Option.

“ Subsidiary ” means a “subsidiary corporation” of the Company, whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

23. Eligibility .

(a) General. Subject to the further limitations in Sections 3(b) and 3(c), any individual who is an Employee on a given Offering Date will be eligible to participate in the Plan for the Offer Period commencing with such Offering Date.

(b) Limitations on Grant and Accrual. Notwithstanding any provisions of the Plan to the contrary, no Employee will be granted an Option under the Plan: (i) if, immediately after the grant, such Employee (taking into account stock owned by any other person whose stock would be attributed to such Employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) would own stock and/or hold outstanding options to purchase stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company or of any Parent or Subsidiary; or (ii) which permits the Employee’s rights to purchase stock under all employee stock purchase plans of the Company and its Parents or Subsidiaries to accrue at a rate which exceeds Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars (US$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. The determination of the accrual of the right to purchase stock will be made in accordance with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and the regulations thereunder.

(c) Other Limits on Eligibility. Notwithstanding Subsection (a), above, unless otherwise determined prior to the applicable Offer Date, the following Employees will not be eligible to participate in the Plan for any relevant Offer Period: (i) Employees whose customary employment is 20 hours or less per week; (ii) Employees whose customary employment is for 5 months or less in any calendar year; (iii) Employees who have not been employed for such continuous period preceding the Offering Date as the Administrator may require, but in no event will the required period of continuous employment be equal to or greater than 2 years; and (iv) Employees who are citizens or residents of a non-U.S. jurisdiction (without regard to whether he or she is also a citizen of the United States or a resident alien (within the meaning of Section 7701(b)(1)(A) of the Code)) if his or her participation is prohibited under the laws of the applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction or if complying with the laws of the applicable non-U.S. jurisdiction would cause the Plan or an Offering to violate Section 423 of the Code.

24. Offer Periods .

The Plan will be implemented through overlapping or consecutive Offer Periods until such time as (i) the maximum number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan have been purchased or (ii) the Plan has been sooner terminated in accordance with Section 19 hereof. The maximum duration of an Offer Period is twenty-seven (27) months. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, the Plan will be implemented through successive Offer Periods of six (6) months’ duration beginning on each January 1 and July 1 following the Effective Date.

A Participant will be granted a separate Option for each Offer Period in which he or she participates. The Option will be granted on the Offering Date and will be automatically exercised in successive installments on the Exercise Dates ending within the Offer Period.

Except as specifically provided herein, the acquisition of Common Stock through participation in the Plan for any Offer Period will neither limit nor require the acquisition of Common Stock by a Participant in any subsequent Offer Period.

25. Participation .

(a) An eligible Employee may become a Participant in the Plan by submitting an authorization of payroll deduction (using such form or method (including electronic forms) as the

Administrator may designate from time to time) as of a date in advance of the Offering Date for the Offer Period in which such participation will commence, as required by the Administrator for all eligible Employees with respect to a given Offer Period.

(b) Payroll deductions for a Participant will apply to Compensation paid via payroll during the Offer Period, unless sooner terminated by the Participant as provided in Section 30.

26. Payroll Deductions .

(a) At the time a Participant enrolls in the Plan, the Participant will elect to have payroll deductions made during the Offer Period in amounts between one percent (1%) and not exceeding fifteen percent (15%) of the Compensation which the Participant receives during the Offer Period.

(b) All payroll deductions made for a Participant will be credited to the Participant’s account under the Plan and will be withheld in whole percentages only. A Participant may not make any additional payments into such account.

(c) A Participant may discontinue participation in the Plan as provided in Section 30, or may decrease the rate of payroll deductions during the Offer Period by submitting notice of a change of status (using such form or method (including electronic forms) as the Administrator may designate from time to time) authorizing a decrease in the payroll deduction rate. Any decrease in the rate of a Participant’s payroll deductions will be effective as soon as administratively practicable following the date of the request. A Participant’s payroll deduction authorization (as modified by any change of status notice) will remain in effect for successive Offer Periods unless terminated as provided in Section 30. The Administrator will be authorized to limit the number of payroll deduction rate changes during any Offer Period.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Sections 23(b) and 7 herein, a Participant’s payroll deductions may be decreased to zero percent (0%). Payroll deductions will recommence at the rate provided in such Participant’s payroll deduction authorization, as amended, when permitted under Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Section 23(b), unless such participation is sooner terminated by the Participant as provided in Section 30.

27. Grant of Option . On the Offering Date, each Participant will be granted an Option to purchase (at the applicable Purchase Price) shares of Common Stock; provided: (i) that such Option is subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 23(b), 26 and 32; (ii) until otherwise determined by the Administrator, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock a Participant will be permitted to purchase in any Offer Period is 2,500 shares, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 18; and (iii) that such Option is subject to such other terms and conditions (applied on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis), as the Administrator determines from time to time. Exercise of the Option will occur as provided in Section 28, unless the Participant has withdrawn pursuant to Section 30, and the Option, to the extent not exercised, will expire on the last day of the Offer Period with respect to which such Option was granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, shares subject to the Option may only be purchased with accumulated payroll deductions credited to a Participant’s account in accordance with Section 26. In addition, to the extent an Option is not exercised on each Exercise Date, the Option will lapse and thereafter cease to be exercisable.

28. Exercise of Option . Unless a Participant withdraws from the Plan as provided in Section 30, the Participant’s Option for the purchase of shares of Common Stock will be exercised automatically on each Exercise Date, by applying the accumulated payroll deductions in the

Participant’s account to purchase the number of shares subject to the Option by dividing such Participant’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. Any amount remaining in a Participant’s account following the purchase of shares on the Exercise Date due to the application of Section 423(b)(8) of the Code, or Sections 3 or 27, will be returned to the Participant and will not be carried over to the next Offer Period or Purchase Period. A Participant’s Option to purchase shares hereunder is exercisable only by the Participant.

29. Delivery . As soon as practicable after each Exercise Date, the Company shall arrange the delivery to each Participant of the shares acquired by the Participant on such Exercise Date; provided that the Company may deliver such shares to a broker designated by the Company that will hold such shares for the benefit of the Participant. Shares to be delivered to a Participant under the Plan shall be registered, or held in an account, in the name of the Participant, or, if requested by the Participant, such other name or names as the Company may permit under rules established for the operation and administration of the Plan.

30. Withdrawal; Termination of Employment .

(a) A Participant may, by giving notice to the Company (using such form or method (including electronic forms) as the Administrator may designate from time to time), either: (i) withdraw all but not less than all the payroll deductions credited to the Participant’s account and not yet used to exercise the Participant’s Option under the Plan; or (ii) terminate future payroll deductions, but allow accumulated payroll deductions to be used to exercise the Participant’s Option under the Plan at any time. If the Participant elects withdrawal alternative (i) described above, all of the Participant’s payroll deductions credited to the Participant’s account will be paid to such Participant as soon as administratively practicable after receipt of notice of withdrawal, such Participant’s Option for the Offer Period will be automatically terminated, and no further payroll deductions for the purchase of shares will be made during the Offer Period. If the Participant elects withdrawal alternative (ii) described above, no further payroll deductions for the purchase of shares will be made during the Offer Period, all of the Participant’s payroll deductions credited to the Participant’s account will be applied to the exercise of the Participant’s Option on the next Exercise Date (subject to Sections 23(b), 26, 27 and 32), and after such Exercise Date, such Participant’s Option for the Offer Period will be automatically terminated and all remaining accumulated payroll deduction amounts will be returned to the Participant. If a Participant withdraws from an Offer Period, payroll deductions will not resume at the beginning of the succeeding Offer Period unless the Participant enrolls in such succeeding Offer Period. The Administrator may, in its discretion and on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis, specify further procedures for withdrawal.

(b) Upon termination of a Participant’s employment relationship (as described in Section 0) prior to the next scheduled Exercise Date, the payroll deductions credited to such Participant’s account during the Offer Period but not yet used to exercise the Option will be returned to such Participant or, in the case of his/her death, to the person or persons entitled thereto under Section 34, and such Participant’s Option will be automatically terminated without exercise of any portion of such Option.

31. Interest . No interest will accrue on the payroll deductions credited to a Participant’s account under the Plan.

32. Stock .

(a) Subject to adjustment upon changes in capitalization of the Company as provided in Section 18, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock which will be made available for sale under the Plan is 750,000 shares. 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: (x) the number of shares then available for sale under the Plan; or (y) the number of shares available for sale under the Plan on the Offering Date(s) of one or more of the Offer Periods in which such Exercise Date is to occur, the Administrator may make a pro rata allocation of the shares remaining available for purchase on such Offering Dates or Exercise Date, as applicable, and will either continue the Offer Period then in effect or terminate any one or more Offer Periods then in effect pursuant to Section 39, below. Such allocation method will be “bottom up,” with the result that all Option exercises for one (1) share will be satisfied first, followed by all exercises for two (2) shares, and so on, until all available shares have been exhausted. Any amount remaining in a Participant’s payroll account following such allocation will be returned to the Participant and will not be carried over to any future Purchase Period or Offer Period, as determined by the Administrator.

(b) A Participant will have no interest or voting right in shares covered by the Participant’s Option until such shares are actually purchased on the Participant’s behalf in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Plan. No adjustment will be made for dividends, distributions or other rights for which the record date is prior to the date of such purchase.

(c) Shares to be delivered to a Participant under the Plan will be registered in the name of the Participant, or as otherwise provided in Section 9.

33. Administration . The Plan will be administered by the Administrator, which will have full and exclusive discretionary authority to construe, interpret and apply the terms of the Plan, to determine eligibility, to determine, with respect to each Offer Period, whether the Purchase Price will be determined as of (i) the Exercise Date or (ii) as of the Offering Date or the Exercise Date (whichever is lower), to adjudicate all disputed claims filed under the Plan, and to designate separate Offerings for the eligible Employees of the Company and one or more Designated Parents or Subsidiaries, in which case the Offerings will be considered separate even if the dates of each such Offering are identical and the provisions of the Plan will separately apply to each Offering. Every finding, decision and determination made by the Administrator will, to the full extent permitted by Applicable Law, be final and binding upon all persons.

34. Designation of Beneficiary .

(a) Each Participant will file a designation (using such form or method (including electronic forms) as the Administrator may designate from time to time) 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. If a Participant is married and the designated beneficiary is not the spouse, spousal consent will be required for such designation to be effective.

(b) Such designation of beneficiary may be changed by the Participant (and the Participant’s spouse, if any) 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 (or in existence) at the time of such Participant’s death, the Company will 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 Administrator), the Administrator will deliver such shares and/or cash to the spouse (or domestic partner, as determined by the Administrator) of the Participant, or if no spouse (or domestic partner) is known to the Administrator, then to the issue of the Participant, such distribution to be made per stirpes (by right of representation), or if no issue are known to the Administrator, then to the heirs at law of the Participant determined in accordance with Section 47.

35. Transferability . No payroll deductions credited to a Participant’s account, Options granted hereunder, or 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 34) by the Participant. Any such attempt at assignment, transfer, pledge or other disposition will be without effect, except that the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, treat such act as an election to withdraw funds from an Offer Period in accordance with Section 30.

36. 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 will not be obligated to segregate such payroll deductions or hold them exclusively for the benefit of Participants. All payroll deductions received or held by the Company may be subject to the claims of the Company’s general creditors. Participants will have the status of general unsecured creditors of the Company. Any amounts payable to Participants pursuant to the Plan will be unfunded and unsecured obligations for all purposes, including, without limitation, Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. The Company will retain at all times beneficial ownership of any investments which the Company may make to fulfill its payment obligations hereunder. Any investments or the creation or maintenance of any trust or any Participant account will not create or constitute a trust or fiduciary relationship between the Administrator, the Company or any Designated Parent or Subsidiary and a Participant, or otherwise create any vested or beneficial interest in any Participant or the Participant’s creditors in any assets of the Company or a Designated Parent or Subsidiary. The Participants will have no claim against the Company or any Designated Parent or Subsidiary for any changes in the value of any assets that may be invested or reinvested by the Company with respect to the Plan.

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

38. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization; Corporate Transactions .

(a) Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization. Subject to any required action by the stockholders of the Company, the Administrator, in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, will, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust the Reserves, the Purchase Price, the maximum number of shares that may be purchased in any Offer Period or Purchase Period, as well as any other terms that the Administrator determines require adjustment, for: (i) 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; (ii) any other increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock effected without receipt of consideration by the Company; or (iii) as the Administrator may determine in its discretion, any other transaction with respect to Common Stock, including a corporate merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, separation (including a spin-off or other distribution of stock or property), reorganization, liquidation (whether partial or complete) or any similar transaction; provided, however, that conversion of any convertible securities of the Company will not be deemed to have been “effected without receipt of consideration.” Such adjustment, if any, will be made by the Administrator and its determination will be final, binding and conclusive. Except as the Administrator determines, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, will affect, and no adjustment by reason hereof will be made with respect to, the Reserves and the Purchase Price.

(b) Corporate Transactions. In the event of a proposed Corporate Transaction, each Option under the Plan will be assumed by such successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation, unless the Administrator, in the exercise of its sole discretion and in

lieu of such assumption, determines to shorten the Offer Period then in progress by setting a new Exercise Date (the “New Exercise Date”). If the Administrator shortens the Offer Period then in progress in lieu of assumption in the event of a Corporate Transaction, the Administrator will 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 either:

(i) the Participant’s Option will be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offer Period as provided in Section 30; or

(ii) the Company will pay to the Participant on the New Exercise Date an amount in cash, cash equivalents, or property as determined by the Administrator that is equal to the excess, if any, of (x) the Fair Market Value of the shares subject to the Option over (y) the Purchase Price due had the Participant’s Option been exercised automatically under Subsection (b)(i) above. In addition, all remaining accumulated payroll deduction amounts will be returned to the Participant.

(c) For purposes of Section 38(b), an Option granted under the Plan will be deemed to be assumed if, in connection with the Corporate Transaction, the Option is replaced with a comparable Option with respect to shares of capital stock of the successor corporation or Parent thereof. The determination of Option comparability will be made by the Administrator prior to the Corporate Transaction and its determination will be final, binding and conclusive on all persons.

39. Amendment or Termination .

(a) The Administrator may at any time and for any reason terminate or amend the Plan. Except as provided in Section 38, no such termination can adversely affect Options previously granted, provided that the Plan or any one or more Offer Periods then in effect may be terminated by the Administrator on any Exercise Date or by the Administrator establishing a new Exercise Date with respect to any Offer Period and/or Purchase Period then in progress if the Administrator determines that the termination of the Plan or one or more Offer Periods is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. Except as provided in Section 38 and this Section 39, no amendment may make any change in any Option theretofore granted which adversely affects the rights of any Participant without the consent of affected Participants. To the extent necessary to comply with Section 423 of the Code and any regulations thereunder (or any successor rule or provision or any other Applicable Law), the Company will obtain stockholder approval of any amendment in such a manner and to such a degree as required.

(b) Without stockholder consent and without regard to whether any Participant rights may be considered to have been “adversely affected,” the Administrator will be entitled to limit the frequency and/or number of changes in the amount withheld during Offer Periods, change the length of Purchase Periods within any Offer Period, determine the length of any future Offer Period, determine whether future Offer Periods will be consecutive or overlapping, establish the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars, establish or change Plan or per Participant limits on share purchases, establish additional terms, conditions, rules or procedures to accommodate the rules or laws of applicable foreign jurisdictions, 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, establish requirements for holding shares purchased pursuant to the Plan and establish such other limitations or procedures as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion advisable and which are consistent with the Plan,

in each case to the extent consistent with the requirements of Code Section 423 and other Applicable Laws.

40. Notices . All notices or other communications by a Participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan will be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form specified by the Administrator at the location, or by the person, designated by the Administrator for the receipt thereof.

41. Conditions Upon Issuance of Shares . Shares will not be issued with respect to an Option unless the exercise of such Option and the issuance and delivery of such shares pursuant thereto will comply with all Applicable Laws and will 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 Participant 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 Laws or is otherwise advisable. In addition, no Options will be exercised or shares issued hereunder before the Plan has been approved by stockholders of the Company as provided in Section 43.

42. Term of Plan . The Plan will become effective upon the earlier to occur of its adoption by the Board or its approval by the stockholders of the Company. It will continue in effect for a term of ten (10) years unless sooner terminated under Section 39.

43. Stockholder Approval . Continuance of the Plan will be subject to approval by the stockholders of the Company within twelve (12) months before or after the date the Plan is adopted. Such stockholder approval will be obtained in the degree and manner required under Applicable Laws. No shares of Common Stock offered for sale under the Plan may be sold until such stockholder approval is obtained, and notwithstanding any other Plan provision any Offer Period then open shall automatically terminate on the Exercise Date and all accumulated payroll deduction amounts will be returned to the Participants if such stockholder approval has not been obtained.

44. No Employment Rights . The Plan does not, directly or indirectly, create any right for the benefit of any employee or class of employees to purchase any shares under the Plan, or create in any employee or class of employees any right with respect to continuation of employment by the Company or a Designated Parent or Subsidiary, and it will not be deemed to interfere in any way with such employer’s right to terminate, or otherwise modify, an employee’s employment at any time.

45. No Effect on Retirement and Other Benefit Plans . Except as specifically provided in a retirement or other benefit plan of the Company or a Designated Parent or Subsidiary, participation in the Plan will not be deemed compensation for purposes of computing benefits or contributions under any retirement plan of the Company or a Designated Parent or Subsidiary, and will not affect any benefits under any other benefit plan of any kind or any benefit plan subsequently instituted under which the availability or amount of benefits is related to level of compensation. The Plan is not a “Retirement Plan” or “Welfare Plan” under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

46. Effect of Plan . The provisions of the Plan will, in accordance with its terms, be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, all successors of each Participant, including, without limitation, such Participant’s estate and the executors, administrators or trustees thereof, heirs and legatees, and any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy or representative of creditors of such Participant.

47. Governing Law . The Plan is to be construed in accordance with and governed by the internal laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to any choice of law rule that would cause

the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the internal laws of the State of Delaware to the rights and duties of the parties, except to the extent the internal laws of the State of Delaware are superseded by the laws of the United States. Should any provision of the Plan be determined by a court of law to be illegal or unenforceable, the other provisions will nevertheless remain effective and will remain enforceable.

48. Dispute Resolution . The provisions of this Section 48 will be the exclusive means of resolving disputes arising out of or relating to the Plan. The Company and the Participant, or their respective successors (the “parties”), will attempt in good faith to resolve any disputes arising out of or relating to the Plan by negotiation between individuals who have authority to settle the controversy. Negotiations will be commenced by either party by notice of a written statement of the party’s position and the name and title of the individual who will represent the party. Within thirty (30) days of the written notification, the parties will meet at a mutually acceptable time and place, and thereafter as often as they reasonably deem necessary, to resolve the dispute. If the dispute has not been resolved by negotiation, the parties agree that any suit, action, or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Plan must be brought in the United States District Court for Delaware (or should such court lack jurisdiction to hear such action, suit or proceeding, in a Delaware state court) and that the parties will submit to the jurisdiction of such court. The parties irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection the party may have to the laying of venue for any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court. THE PARTIES ALSO EXPRESSLY WAIVE ANY RIGHT THEY HAVE OR MAY HAVE TO A JURY TRIAL OF ANY SUCH SUIT, ACTION OR PROCEEDING. If any one or more provisions of this Section 48 is for any reason held invalid or unenforceable, it is the specific intent of the parties that such provisions be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it or its application valid and enforceable.

Exhibit 23.2

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8) pertaining to the Amended and Restated 2010 Stock Incentive Plan and the 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan of our report dated February 24, 2015, with respect to the consolidated financial statements and schedule of Veeco Instruments Inc. as of December 31, 2014, and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, included in Annual Report (Form 10-K) of Veeco Instruments Inc. for the year ended December 31, 2015, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission .

	/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Jericho, New York
June 2, 2016

Exhibit 23.3

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors
Veeco Instruments Inc.:

We consent to the use of our reports dated February 25, 2016, with respect to the consolidated balance sheet of Veeco Instruments Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2015, and the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for the year then ended, and the related financial statement schedule, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2015, incorporated by reference herein.

	/s/ KPMG LLP

Melville, New York
June 2, 2016