Photoacoustic detection of trace concentrations of gases is one of the most sensitive techniques of infrared absorption spectroscopy. High-sensitivity photoacoustic detectors apply an acoustic resonator for the amplification of the weak photoacoustic signal. If the modulation frequency coincides with one of the resonance frequencies of the chamber, a standing acoustic wave is excited and the system works as an acoustic amplifier. The amplification of the resonator relies on the acting mode, quality factor, nature of microphone, and the coupling between electromagnetic radiation and the stand wave resonance mode. With different incidence orientation of the modulated IR laser relative to acoustic chamber, the sound pressure magnitude of resonance mode varies. The influence of different laser incidence orientation on the coupling coefficients of radial resonance mode of cylindrical photoacoustic cells was investigated by both theoretical deduction and numerical computation method. It is concluded that the coupling coefficients have two zeros and two maximums when the laser incidence angle varies from 0 to π／2. When the incidence angle is 0 or tan-1(0.859 2×2R/L), the coupling coefficients are zeros and the radial resonance is invalid. When the incidence angle is tan-1(0.556 8×2R/L) or tan-1(2R/L), the coupling coefficients are the maximums and the radial resonance is the strongest. Here R is the radius and L the length of the cell. The results therein before give some theoretical guidelines for photoacoustic cell designing, optimizing, installing and adjusting, and for improvement of detection sensitivity in trace gas detectors through maximal excitement of radial modes in cylindrical acoustic cells.