  We have experimentally compared the critical current, dark count rate and
photo-response of 100nm wide superconducting nanowires with different bend
designs. Enhanced critical current for nanowires with optimally rounded bends,
and thus with no current crowding, are observed. Furthermore, we find that the
optimally designed bend significantly reduces the dark counts without
compromising the photo-response of the device. The results can lead to major
improvements in superconducting nanowire single photon detectors.
