CORNING, N.Y. -- Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW), a leading supplier of optical fiber and components in the telecommunications industry, today announced a breakthrough in the development of a silver-based gradient index lens. Gradient index, or GRIN, lenses are an integral part of every optical network, typically used in collimators and other sub-components to couple light into and out of fibers. Corning's gradient index glass technology has been through preliminary testing and forms the subject matter of a number of patents pending. Collimator pairs built using Corning's gradient index lenses recently delivered coupling efficiency better than the 0.2 dB industry standard. "We are very excited about this breakthrough and the opportunity to provide the telecommunications marketplace with an additional source of these critical lenses," stated Mark Beck, business manager, Corning Photonic Materials. "Building on our expertise in materials science, specialty glass processing and photonic technologies, the addition of gradient lenses to our portfolio helps round out our Microlens platform." Beck noted that the lenses would be available in early 2002.Corning Inc.