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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252"?> |
<ownershipDocument> |
| <schemaVersion> X0306 </schemaVersion> |
| <documentType> 4 </documentType> |
| <periodOfReport> 2020-03-17 </periodOfReport> |
| <notSubjectToSection16> 0 </notSubjectToSection16> |
| <issuer> |
| | <issuerCik> 0000103145 </issuerCik> |
| | <issuerName> VEECO INSTRUMENTS INC </issuerName> |
| | <issuerTradingSymbol> VECO </issuerTradingSymbol> |
| | </issuer> |
| <reportingOwner> |
| | <reportingOwnerId> |
| | | <rptOwnerCik> 0001497582 </rptOwnerCik> |
| | | <rptOwnerName> Miller William John </rptOwnerName> |
| | | </reportingOwnerId> |
| | <reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet1> VEECO INSTRUMENTS INC. </rptOwnerStreet1> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet2> TERMINAL DRIVE </rptOwnerStreet2> |
| | | <rptOwnerCity> PLAINVIEW </rptOwnerCity> |
| | | <rptOwnerState> NY </rptOwnerState> |
| | | <rptOwnerZipCode> 11803 </rptOwnerZipCode> |
| | | <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription> |
| | | </reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | <reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | | <isDirector> 1 </isDirector> |
| | | <isOfficer> 1 </isOfficer> |
| | | <isTenPercentOwner> 0 </isTenPercentOwner> |
| | | <isOther> 0 </isOther> |
| | | <officerTitle> CEO </officerTitle> |
| | | <otherText></otherText> |
| | | </reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | </reportingOwner> |
| <nonDerivativeTable> |
| | <nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2020-03-17 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> A </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 40770 </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F1"/> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <value> 0 </value> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> A </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 228031 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | </nonDerivativeTable> |
| <derivativeTable></derivativeTable> |
| <footnotes> |
| | <footnote id="F1"> These shares were acquired pursuant to a restricted stock award under the Veeco Instructions Inc. 2019 Stock Incentive Plan and are subject to certain restrictions. These restrictions will lapse with respect to one-third of such shares on each of the first, second and third anniversaries of the grant date, subject to the reporting person's continued service through such dates. </footnote> |
| | </footnotes> |
| <ownerSignature> |
| | <signatureName> Kirk W. Mackey, Attorney-in-fact </signatureName> |
| | <signatureDate> 2020-03-19 </signatureDate> |
| | </ownerSignature> |
| </ownershipDocument> |