The present invention provides a method for producing a ceramic device in a low pO2 atmosphere, comprising the steps of: - providing a composition comprising a base material and a transition metal; wherein the base material for the first layer is selected from the group consisting of zirconate, cerate, titanate, lanthanate, aluminate, doped zirconia and/or doped ceria, wherein the dopants are selected from the group of Ca, Ga, Sc, Y, and lanthanide elements; - forming a first layer of said composition, wherein said first layer is an electrolyte layer; - forming at least one electrode layer or electrode precursor layer on one side or both sides of said first layer; and - sintering the multilayer structure in a low p02 atmosphere; characterized in that: the amount of the transition metal is from 0.01 to 4 mol%, based on the composition of the first layer; the oxygen partial pressure p02 is 10<-14> Pa or less; and the sintering temperature is in the range of from 700 to 1600 DEG C.