  We show theoretically that it is possible to optically control collective
spin-exchange processes in spinor Bose condensates through virtual
photoassociation. The interplay between optically induced spin exchange and
spin-dependent collisions provides a flexible tool for the control of atomic
spin dynamics, including enhanced or inhibited quantum spin oscillations, the
optically-induced ferromagnetic-to-antiferromagnetic transition, and coherent
matter-wave spin conversion.
