我可以使用jquery / ajax将表单提交到返回文件的php脚本吗？

I have a PHP script that is using PHPExcel. It generates an xlsx file for download. However, this takes quite a bit of time depending on the paramters that the users selects. I am wondering if I can submit the paramaters to via ajax, show a "loader" image after submitting it, but once the file is complete, return the file for download.

Here is what I tried, but it didn't work:

$(document).ready(function(e) { 
    $("#reporting-export-form").submit(function(e) {
        $("#loadingImage").show();
        var url = "reporting-export-download.php";
        $.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: url,
            data: $("#reporting-export-form").serialize(),
            success: function(data)
            {
                return data;
                $("#loadingImage").hide();
            }
        });
        e.preventDefault();
    }); 
});

UPDATE So I think the consenhsious is that it cant' be done. So I have another idea that is working 99% and fakes an ajax experience, but with 1 glitch. I put an iframe on the page. I then set the target of my form to be that iframe. When it submits, the page stays on it's current page and when the PHPExcel file finishes it presents the file for download. So then I added this jQuery code to my page:

$("#reporting-export-form").submit(function(e) {
    $("#loadingImage").show();
});

And that works great as well. Now I want to hide the loading image once the file is either downloaded or cancelled. So I added this code to the page that outputs the file:

$(document).ready(function(e){
    $('#loadingImage', window.parent.document).hide();
});

That doesn't work. If I remove the PHP code that outputs the file, then it does remove the loading image after the iframe loads, but as long as I try to output the php file in the iframe, the javascript doesn't seem to work. Any ideas?