In this letter the photoemissive properties of K–Te films produced under ultrahigh vacuum conditions are reported. K–Te photocathodes were fabricated by vapor deposition of Te and K onto a Mo substrate into the preparation chamber of the Free Electron Laser of the University of Twente. The highest quantum efficiency obtained at 259 nm was 11.1%, measured just after evaporation; this value decreased in a few minutes to a stable quantum efficiency of 8.3%. The reported results show that K–Te can be considered a promising material for the use as a photocathode in photoinjectors. ©1996 American Institute of Physics.