Substrate treatment system (11, 1J), which comprises at least one substrate loading and unloading region for loading and unloading the substrate treatment system with at least one substrate, at least one process chamber that can be evacuated, at least one carrier device with which the at least one substrate can be transported by means of at least one carrier transport device in at least one carrier transport region to the at least one process chamber, and at least one gas-tight closure device between the substrate loading and unloading region and the carrier transport region, - the substrate loading and unloading region being coupled to the carrier transport region via a substrate transfer region having at least one substrate transfer device for transferring the at least one substrate from at least one substrate cassette which can be provided in the substrate loading and unloading region, in which cassette substrates can be arranged in different horizontal cassette planes of the substrate cassette, onto the at least one carrier device by means of which the at least one substrate can be held in a horizontal carrier plane, characterized in that the substrate treatment system comprises at least one gas-tight closure device between the at least one process chamber and the carrier transport region, and furthermore the substrate transfer region can be closed in a gas-tight manner with respect to the substrate loading and unloading region, and the substrate treatment system (11, 1J) comprises linear rows of a transfer module, an inner process module and an outer process module (4, 4'), the inner process module being equipped on two sides with closable passages for the passage of carrier devices, and the process modules (4, 4') each having at least one of the at least one process chamber, and the transfer module being provided between the inner process module and the carrier transport region and it being possible for said transfer module to be closed in a gas-tight manner with respect to the inner process module and the carrier transport region. at least one substrate loading and unloading region for loading and unloading the substrate treatment system with at least one substrate, at least one process chamber that can be evacuated, at least one carrier device with which the at least one substrate can be transported by means of at least one carrier transport device in at least one carrier transport region to the at least one process chamber, and at least one gas-tight closure device between the substrate loading and unloading region and the carrier transport region, - the substrate loading and unloading region being coupled to the carrier transport region via a substrate transfer region having at least one substrate transfer device for transferring the at least one substrate from at least one substrate cassette which can be provided in the substrate loading and unloading region, in which cassette substrates can be arranged in different horizontal cassette planes of the substrate cassette, onto the at least one carrier device by means of which the at least one substrate can be held in a horizontal carrier plane, - the substrate loading and unloading region being coupled to the carrier transport region via a substrate transfer region having at least one substrate transfer device for transferring the at least one substrate from at least one substrate cassette which can be provided in the substrate loading and unloading region, in which cassette substrates can be arranged in different horizontal cassette planes of the substrate cassette, onto the at least one carrier device by means of which the at least one substrate can be held in a horizontal carrier plane, characterized in that the substrate treatment system comprises at least one gas-tight closure device between the at least one process chamber and the carrier transport region, and furthermore the substrate transfer region can be closed in a gas-tight manner with respect to the substrate loading and unloading region, and the substrate treatment system (11, 1J) comprises linear rows of a transfer module, an inner process module and an outer process module (4, 4'), the inner process module being equipped on two sides with closable passages for the passage of carrier devices, and the process modules (4, 4') each having at least one of the at least one process chamber, and the transfer module being provided between the inner process module and the carrier transport region and it being possible for said transfer module to be closed in a gas-tight manner with respect to the inner process module and the carrier transport region.