A　facile　growth-doping　method　in　aqueous　solution　has　been　developed　to　synthesize　Cu-doped　ZnSe　(ZnSe:Cu)　QDs　by　using　thioglycolic　acid　(TGA)　as　a　stabilizer.　The　effects　of　the　Cu　doping　concentration,　reaction　temperature　and　pH　value　on　the　synthesis　of　ZnSe:Cu　QDs　were　investigated　systematically.　The　as-synthesized　ZnSe:Cu　QDs　with　an　excellent　green　emission　still　belong　to　a　cubic　zinc　blende　crystalline　structure,　and　the　average　particle　size　is　approximately　3.0 nm.　The　photoluminescent　quantum　yield　(PLQY)　is　as　high　as　20%,　and　the　exciton　radiative　lifetime　is　approximately　113.8 ns.　Moreover,　the　patterned　ZnSe:Cu　QDs　thin　films　have　been　successfully　fabricated　by　using　an　inkjet　printing　method　to　verify　the　ability　of　the　potential　application　to　the　color　conversion.　With　the　assistance　of　5.5　pair　distributed　bragg　reflector　(DBR)　structures,　the　color　coordinate　of　the　ZnSe:Cu　QDs　thin　film　excited　by　the　blue　LEDs　is　located　at　(0.2182,　0.4352)　and　the　intensity　of　PL　peak　located　at　513 nm　reaches　to　be　45.1%.　In　addition,　the　PLQY　of　color　conversion-based　ZnSe:Cu　QDs　thin　film　is　approximately　9.64%.　Based　on　these　results,　ZnSe:Cu　QDs　are　potentially　useful　for　the　fabrication　of　optoelectronic　devices,　especially　QDs　photoluminescence　and　electroluminescence.　©　2019,　Springer　Science+Business　Media,　LLC,　part　of　Springer　Nature.