  Curvature of quantum wire results in intrasubband absorption of
  IR radiation that induces stationary photovoltage in presence of circular
polarization. This effect is studied in ballistic (collisionless) and kinetic
regimes. The consideration is concentrated on quantum wires with curved central
part. It is shown, that if mean free path is shorter than length of the curved
part the photovoltage does not depend on the wire shape, but on the total angle
of rotation of wire tangent. It is not the case when mean free path is finite
or large. This situation was studied for three specific shapes of wires: "hard
angle", "open book" and "$\Omega$-like".
