content: <PAGE>
  
                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C. 20549
                                  _______________
                                      FORM 8-K
                                   CURRENT REPORT
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
                                   July 20, 1999
                                   -------------
                  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
  
  
                           CREDENCE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
                           ----------------------------
                 (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
  
  
               Delaware                 0-22366                 94-2878499
               --------                 -------                 -----------
    (State or other jurisdiction  (Commission File Number)     (IRS Employer
         of incorporation)                                   Identification No.)
  
  
     215 Fourier Avenue, Fremont,California                        94539
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)
  
  
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code    (510) 657-7400
                                                        --------------
  
  
                                     N/A
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
  <PAGE>
  
  Item 5.  Other Events.
  
           On July 20, 1999, the Registrant issued a press release announcing the
  acquisition by Fluence Technology, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the
  Registrant, of Opmaxx, Inc.
  
  
  Item 7.  Exhibits.
  
           Copy of the Registrant's July 20, 1999  press release announcing the
  acquisition by Fluence Technology, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the
  Registrant, of Opmaxx, Inc. is attached hereto as Exhibits 99.1 and incorporated
  herein by reference.
  <PAGE>
  
                                     SIGNATURES
                                     ----------
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
  the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
  
                                         CREDENCE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
                                         ----------------------------
                                         (Registrant)
  
  
  Date:  July 21, 1999                   By  /s/Dennis P. Wolf
                                            -------------------
  
                                         Name:   Dennis P. Wolf
                                         Title:  Co-President and
                                         Chief Financial Officer
  <PAGE>
  
                                 INDEX TO EXHIBITS
  
      Exhibit No.               Description
      -----------               -----------
  
         99.1            Press Release disseminated on July 20, 1999 announcing
                         the acquisition by Fluence Technology, Inc., a wholly
                         owned subsidiary of the Registrant, of Opmaxx, Inc.
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3230}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CREDENCE SYSTEMS CORP", "cik": "0000893162", "assigned-sic": "3825", "irs-number": "942878499", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1031"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-22366", "film-number": "99668794"}, "business-address": {"street1": "215 FOURIER AVE", "city": "FREMONT", "state": "CA", "zip": "94539", "phone": "5106577400"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "215 FOURIER AVE", "city": "FREMONT", "state": "CA", "zip": "94539"}}
text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                               Washington, D.C. 20549
                                  _______________
                                      FORM 8-K
                                   CURRENT REPORT
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
                                   July 20, 1999
                                   -------------
                  Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
  
                           CREDENCE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
                           ----------------------------
                 (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)
  
               Delaware                 0-22366                 94-2878499
               --------                 -------                 -----------
    (State or other jurisdiction  (Commission File Number)     (IRS Employer
         of incorporation)                                   Identification No.)
  
     215 Fourier Avenue, Fremont,California                        94539
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)
  
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code    (510) 657-7400
                                                        --------------
  
                                     N/A
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
  Item 5.  Other Events.
  
           On July 20, 1999, the Registrant issued a press release announcing the
  acquisition by Fluence Technology, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the
  Registrant, of Opmaxx, Inc.
  
  Item 7.  Exhibits.
  
           Copy of the Registrant's July 20, 1999  press release announcing the
  acquisition by Fluence Technology, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the
  Registrant, of Opmaxx, Inc. is attached hereto as Exhibits 99.1 and incorporated
  herein by reference.
  SIGNATURES
                                     ----------
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
  the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                         CREDENCE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
                                         ----------------------------
                                         (Registrant)
  
  Date:  July 21, 1999                   By  /s/Dennis P. Wolf
                                            -------------------
  
                                         Name:   Dennis P. Wolf
                                         Title:  Co-President and
                                         Chief Financial Officer
  INDEX TO EXHIBITS
  
      Exhibit No.               Description
      -----------               -----------
  
         99.1            Press Release disseminated on July 20, 1999 announcing
                         the acquisition by Fluence Technology, Inc., a wholly
                         owned subsidiary of the Registrant, of Opmaxx, Inc.