A　major　challenge　in　laser　percussion　drilling　of　thick-section　ceramics　is　to　obtain　a　low　taper　and　low　spatter　deposition　hole　leading　to　high　quality　post-processing.　In　order　to　achieve　the　fine　hole　drilling,　it　is　important　to　understand　the　mechanism　of　laser　percussion　drilling.　In　this　paper,　an　experimental　and　numerical　study　on　laser　percussion　drilling　was　carried　out.　A　two-dimension　(2D)　axisymmetric　finite　element　(FE)　model　for　simulation　of　temperature　field　and　proceeding　of　hole　formation　during　percussion　drilling　was　developed.　The　FE　model　was　validated　by　the　corresponding　experiment.　Furthermore,　a　theoretical　model　for　evaluation　of　temperature　at　melt　front　and　velocity　of　melt　ejection　was　presented　in　order　to　further　validate　the　FE　model　and　study　the　spatter　deposition.　The　effects　of　laser　peak　power,　pulse　duty　cycle　and　pulse　repetition　rate　on　hole　diameter　and　spatter　deposition　were　investigated　by　the　developed　models　and　experiments,　in　which　the　simulated　results　were　in　good　agreement　with　the　experiments.　The　study　indicated　that　the　size　and　temperature　of　the　melt　front　significantly　affected　the　hole　diameter　formation　and　spatter　deposition　during　laser　percussion　drilling.　The　characteristic　of　melt　front　was　mainly　determined　by　the　employed　laser　peak　power,　pulse　repetition　rate　and　pulse　duty　cycle.　Based　on　the　experimental　and　numerical　study,　the　process　parameters　were　optimised　and　a　drilled-hole　with　low　taper　and　low　spatter　deposition　was　obtained　using　a　3.5　kW　CO2　laser.　A　microstructural　and　element　compositional　study　was　also　performed　in　this　work,　by　which　the　characteristics　of　microstructure　and　element　composition　in　HAZ　around　laser　drilled　hole　were　revealed.　(C)　2012　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.