Described herein are compositions or formulations for forming a film in a semiconductor deposition process, such as without limitation, a flowable chemical vapor deposition of silicon oxide. Also described herein is a method to improve the surface wetting by incorporating an acetylenic alcohol or diol surfactant such as without limitation 3,5-dimethyl-1-hexyn-3-ol, 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyn-4,7-diol, 4-ethyl-1-octyn-3-ol, and 2,5-dimethylhexan-2,5-diol, and other related compounds.