A high performance five-layered anode supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) is developed by low-cost tape casting, co-sintering, and screen printing techniques. The cell is composed of NiO/scandium stabilized zirconia (ScSZ) anode support, NiO/ScSZ anode functional layer (AFL), ScSZ electrolyte, lanthanum strontium ferrite (LSF)/ScSZ cathode functional layer, and LSF cathode current collecting layer. The effects of fabrication parameters on the cell performance are investigated and optimized, including co-sintering temperature, thickness of the anode support, and AFL. The effects of GDC ion conducting phase impregnated into both electrodes also are investigated. The microstructure of the cell is observed using a scanning electron microscope, and the cell performances at various operation temperatures are evaluated by a fuel cell test station. The final cell produces 1.34 W.cm(-2) maximum power density at an operation temperature of 700 degrees C. The high performance is attributed to optimized cell structure as well as increase in the oxide ion conductivity and three-phase boundaries of both anode and cathode layers by nano ion conductor infiltration. Copyright (c) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.