Use of a gemini additive of the general formula I in aqueous compositions for defect reduction rinse of semiconductor substrates after the development of the photoresist or of photolithographic masks: wherein X is a divalent group, for each repeating unit 1 to n independently selected from (a) linear or branched C 1 to C 20 alkanediyl, which may optionally be substituted and which may optionally be interrupted by up to 5 heteroatoms selected from O and N, (b) C 5 to C 20 cycloalkanediyl, which may optionally be substituted and which may optionally be interrupted by up to 5 heteroatoms selected from O and N, (c) C 6 to C 20 organic group of formula -X 1 -A-X 2 -, wherein X 1 and X 2 are independently selected from a C 1 to C 7 linear or branched alkanediyl and A is selected from a C 5 to C 12 aromatic moiety or a C 5 to C 30 cycloalkanediyl, which H atoms may optionally be substituted and which C atoms may optionally be interrupted by up to 5 heteroatoms selected from O and N, (d) polyoxyalkylene diradical of formula II: wherein p is 0 or 1, r is an integer from 1 to 100, and R 5 is selected from H and a linear or branched C 1 to C 20 alkyl group; R 1 and R 2 are monovalent groups independently selected from H, linear or branched C 1 to C 20 alkyl, C 5 to C 20 cycloalkyl, C 5 to C 20 aryl, C 6 to C 20 alkylaryl, C 6 to C 20 arylalkyl, C 1 to C 20 hydroxyalkyl, or C 2 to C 4 oxyalkylene homo or copolymers, all of which may optionally be further substituted; R 3 and R 4 are monovalent groups independently selected from a linear or branched C 5 to C 30 alkyl group, a C 5 to C 30 cycloalkyl, a C 1 to C 20 hydroxyalkyl, and a C 2 to C 4 oxyalkylene homo or copolymers, all of which may optionally be substituted, and wherein pair-wise R 3 - R 4 and adjacent R 4 - R 4 and R 3 - R 3 may optionally together form a bivalent group X, and may also be a continuation Q of the molecule by branching, and, if n is equal to or greater than 2, R 3, R 4 or R 3 and R 4 may also be hydrogen atoms; n is an integer from 1 to 5, or, in case at least one of X, R 3 and R 4 comprises a C 2 to C 4 polyoxyalkylene group, n may be an integer from 1 to 10000, and provided that, if at least one Q is present, n includes all repeating units of branches Q; Q is z is an integer, which is chosen so that the overall surfactant is electrically uncharged; Z is a counter-ion. X is a divalent group, for each repeating unit 1 to n independently selected from (a) linear or branched C 1 to C 20 alkanediyl, which may optionally be substituted and which may optionally be interrupted by up to 5 heteroatoms selected from O and N, (b) C 5 to C 20 cycloalkanediyl, which may optionally be substituted and which may optionally be interrupted by up to 5 heteroatoms selected from O and N, (c) C 6 to C 20 organic group of formula -X 1 -A-X 2 -, wherein X 1 and X 2 are independently selected from a C 1 to C 7 linear or branched alkanediyl and A is selected from a C 5 to C 12 aromatic moiety or a C 5 to C 30 cycloalkanediyl, which H atoms may optionally be substituted and which C atoms may optionally be interrupted by up to 5 heteroatoms selected from O and N, (d) polyoxyalkylene diradical of formula II: wherein p is 0 or 1, r is an integer from 1 to 100, and R 5 is selected from H and a linear or branched C 1 to C 20 alkyl group; R 1 and R 2 are monovalent groups independently selected from H, linear or branched C 1 to C 20 alkyl, C 5 to C 20 cycloalkyl, C 5 to C 20 aryl, C 6 to C 20 alkylaryl, C 6 to C 20 arylalkyl, C 1 to C 20 hydroxyalkyl, or C 2 to C 4 oxyalkylene homo or copolymers, all of which may optionally be further substituted; R 3 and R 4 are monovalent groups independently selected from a linear or branched C 5 to C 30 alkyl group, a C 5 to C 30 cycloalkyl, a C 1 to C 20 hydroxyalkyl, and a C 2 to C 4 oxyalkylene homo or copolymers, all of which may optionally be substituted, and wherein pair-wise R 3 - R 4 and adjacent R 4 - R 4 and R 3 - R 3 may optionally together form a bivalent group X, and may also be a continuation Q of the molecule by branching, and, if n is equal to or greater than 2, R 3, R 4 or R 3 and R 4 may also be hydrogen atoms; n is an integer from 1 to 5, or, in case at least one of X, R 3 and R 4 comprises a C 2 to C 4 polyoxyalkylene group, n may be an integer from 1 to 10000, and provided that, if at least one Q is present, n includes all repeating units of branches Q; Q is z is an integer, which is chosen so that the overall surfactant is electrically uncharged; Z is a counter-ion.