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                                                                    Exhibit 24.1


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That each person  whose name is signed
hereto has made, constituted and appointed, and does hereby make, constitute and
appoint, J. ROBERT HORST, EARL R. FRANKLIN, MARK HENNESSEY or MICHAEL C. MCLEAN
his or her true and lawful attorney, for him or her and in his or her name,
place and stead to affix, as attorney-in-fact, his or her signature as director
or officer or both, as the case may be, of Axcelis Technologies, Inc., formerly
known as Eaton Semiconductor Equipment Inc., a Delaware corporation, (the
"Corporation"), to any and all registration statements and amendments filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to an aggregate amount of up
to 20% of the Company's outstanding equity, giving and granting unto each such
attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform, every act and thing
whatsoever necessary to be done in the premises, as fully as he or she might or
could do if personally present, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each
such attorney-in-fact shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

         This Power of Attorney shall not apply to any registration statement or
amendment filed after February 28, 2001.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Power of Attorney has been signed at
Cleveland, Ohio, this 4th day of May, 2000.


/s/ Brian R. Bachman
- ---------------------------------
Brian R. Bachman, Vice Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer;
Principal Executive Officer;
Director



/s/ Alexander M. Cutler
- ---------------------------------
Alexander M. Cutler, Director



/s/ Stephen R. Hardis
- ---------------------------------
Stephen R. Hardis, Director



/s/ Kevin M. Bisson
- ---------------------------------
Kevin M. Bisson,
Principal Financial and
Accounting Officer