Abstract: Disclosed are new polycrystalline ceramic bodies formed from melts containing as essential components P.sub.2 O.sub.5, Ta.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and sometimes containing small amounts of SiO.sub.2. Also disclosed are such bodies in the form of planar dopant hosts for doping silicon or germanium with phosphorus. Methods of making both products are disclosed as well as how to use the dopant hosts in a doping process.