Note 9 - Investments (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended			1 Months Ended								3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended						6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Jul. 31, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member] Scenario, Forecast [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member] Minimum [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member] Maximum [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Polycrystalline Silicon Business [Member] Dow Corning Corporation [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member] Parent Company [Member]		Jun. 30, 2013 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member] Samsung Display Co., Ltd. [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member] Other Shareholders [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Dow Corning Corporation [Member] Parent Company [Member]		Jun. 30, 2013 Dow Corning Corporation [Member] Dow Chemical Company [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Dow Corning Corporation [Member] Commercial Creditors [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Dow Corning Corporation [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Dow Corning Corporation [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Dow Corning Corporation [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Dow Corning Corporation [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Result of Korean Tax Holiday Partial Expiration [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Result of Korean Tax Holiday Partial Expiration [Member]
Note 9 - Investments (Details) [Line Items]
Due to Affiliate	$ 86,000,000			$ 86,000,000		$ 37,000,000
Due from Affiliates	47,000,000			47,000,000		61,000,000
Other Tax Expense (Benefit)																												14,000,000	27,000,000
Due from Related Parties															14,000,000		14,000,000		15,000,000
Due to Related Parties															84,000,000		84,000,000		34,000,000
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage											50.00%	[1]	43.00%	7.00%						50.00%	[1]	50.00%
Pre Assessment Tax Notice			46,000,000
Research and Development Expense	62,000,000	69,000,000		127,000,000	138,000,000
Selling Expense	2,000,000	3,000,000		6,000,000	7,000,000
Marketable Securities																								76,000,000		76,000,000
Payments for Legal Settlements																										1,700,000,000
Estimated Litigation Liability																								1,600,000,000		1,600,000,000
Loss Contingency, Range of Possible Loss, Minimum																							92,000,000
Loss Contingency, Range of Possible Loss, Maximum																							301,000,000
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	166,000,000	259,000,000		339,000,000	477,000,000										111,000,000	193,000,000	244,000,000	376,000,000					92,000,000	45,000,000	61,000,000	80,000,000	96,000,000
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Tax Contingency, Foreign, Percent							53.30%	2.40%	57.00%
Equity Method Investment, Underlying Equity in Net Assets										$ 800,000,000

[1] Amounts reflect Corning's direct ownership interests in the respective affiliated companies. Corning does not exercise voting control nor control the operations of any of these entities.