High brightness electron sources are required to drive next generation light sources. This can only be achieved by photocathodes with high quantum efficiency (QE) and low intrinsic emittance, whilst also having long operational lifetimes and minimal dark current. Cesium telluride (Cs-Te) photocathodes are currently the favored material for many accelerators around the globe, typically chosen for its high QE and significant operational lifetime compared to other alkali-based alternatives, such as alkali antimonide and bi-alkali materials. Rubidium telluride (Rb-Te) has the potential to have a QE of a few percent with a higher work function than Cs-Te. This would lead to a lower mean transverse energy and reduced susceptibility to field emission, improving brightness and reducing dark current. In this paper, thin film Rb-Te photocathodes were grown and are characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and QE measurements.