diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index ed7f3b9f0..613637223 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -409,6 +409,7 @@ add_library(libopenmc SHARED
   src/nuclide.cpp
   src/output.cpp
   src/particle.cpp
+  src/photon.cpp
   src/physics_common.cpp
   src/physics_mg.cpp
   src/plot.cpp
diff --git a/include/openmc/photon.h b/include/openmc/photon.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3f36decdb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/openmc/photon.h
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#ifndef OPENMC_PHOTON_H
+#define OPENMC_PHOTON_H
+
+#include <hdf5.h>
+
+#include <string>
+#include <vector>
+
+namespace openmc {
+
+//==============================================================================
+//! Photon interaction data for a single element
+//==============================================================================
+
+class PhotonInteraction {
+public:
+  // Constructors
+  PhotonInteraction(hid_t group);
+
+  // Data members
+  std::string name_; //! Name of element, e.g. "Zr"
+  int Z_; //! Atomic number
+};
+
+//==============================================================================
+// Global variables
+//==============================================================================
+
+namespace data {
+
+extern std::vector<PhotonInteraction> elements;
+
+} // namespace data
+
+} // namespace openmc
+
+#endif // OPENMC_PHOTON_H
diff --git a/src/photon.cpp b/src/photon.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b36f29a5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/photon.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+#include "openmc/photon.h"
+
+#include "openmc/hdf5_interface.h"
+
+namespace openmc {
+
+//==============================================================================
+// Global variables
+//==============================================================================
+
+namespace data {
+
+std::vector<PhotonInteraction> elements;
+
+} // namespace data
+
+//==============================================================================
+// PhotonInteraction implementation
+//==============================================================================
+
+PhotonInteraction::PhotonInteraction(hid_t group)
+{
+  // Get name of nuclide from group, removing leading '/'
+  name_ = object_name(group).substr(1);
+
+  read_attribute(group, "Z", Z_);
+}
+
+//==============================================================================
+// Fortran compatibility
+//==============================================================================
+
+extern "C" void photon_from_hdf5_c(hid_t group)
+{
+  data::elements.emplace_back(group);
+}
+
+} // namespace openmc
diff --git a/src/photon_header.F90 b/src/photon_header.F90
index a284c7cc0..9da958a6f 100644
--- a/src/photon_header.F90
+++ b/src/photon_header.F90
@@ -130,6 +130,16 @@ contains
     real(8), allocatable :: matrix(:,:)
     real(8), allocatable :: dcs(:,:)
 
+    interface
+      subroutine photon_from_hdf5_c(group) bind(C)
+        import HID_T
+        integer(HID_T), value :: group
+      end subroutine
+    end interface
+
+    ! Read element data on C++ side
+    call photon_from_hdf5_c(group_id)
+
     ! Get name of nuclide from group
     this % name = get_name(group_id)