  Research into electronic nanomaterials has recently seen a growing focus into
the synthesis of structures with unconventional curved geometries including
bent wires in planar systems and three-dimensional architectures obtained by
rolling up nanomembranes. The inclusion of these geometries has led to the
prediction and observation of a series of novel effects that either result from
shape-driven modifications of the electronic motion or from an intrinsic change
of electronic and magnetic properties due to peculiar confinement effects.
Moreover, local strains often generated by curvature also trigger the
appearance of new phenomena due to the essential role played by
electromechanical coupling in solids. Here we review the recent developments in
the discovery of these shape-, confinement- and strain-induced curvature
effects at the nanoscale, and discuss their potential use in electronic and
spintronic devices.
