The morphology and phase composition of a concentration series of HfO2– \(x\) mol % Yb2O3 (x = 0, 5, 10, 15, 30) nanoparticles, obtained by a coprecipitation method, have been studied. The characteristics of thermal radiation, arising in ZrO2–30 mol % Yb2O3 and HfO2–30 mol % Yb2O3 nanoparticles exposed to laser radiation with the wavelength \({{\lambda }_{{{\text{exc}}}}} = 980{\kern 1pt} \) nm and a high power density, have been comparatively analyzed. The cytotoxicity of HfO2– \(x\) mol % Yb2O3 ( \(x = 15\) , 30) nanoparticles has been studied. It has been demonstrated that an increase in the content of Yb2O3 in particles from 15 to 30 mol % and the effect of 980-nm laser radiation on them double a cytotoxic effect of these particles relative to the Mh22 cell line.