We present an updated search for the Higgs boson produced in association with a vector boson in the final state with missing transverse energy and two jets. We use the full CDF data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $9.45{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$ at a proton-antiproton center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=1.96\mathrm{TeV}$. New to this analysis is the inclusion of a $b$-jet identification algorithm specifically optimized for $H\to b\overline{b}$ searches. Across the Higgs boson mass range $90\le m_H\le 150\mathrm{GeV}/c^2$, the expected 95% credibility level upper limits on the $VH$ production cross section times the $H\to b\overline{b}$ branching fraction are improved by an average of 14% relative to the previous analysis. At a Higgs boson mass of $125\mathrm{GeV}/c^2$, the observed (expected) limit is 3.06 (3.33) times the standard model prediction, corresponding to one of the most sensitive searches to date in this final state.

• Received 23 January 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.87.052008