| 
>> diag(1:5)
ans =
     1     0     0     0     0
     0     2     0     0     0
     0     0     3     0     0
     0     0     0     4     0
     0     0     0     0     5
 | 
| 
>> a=(1:9)'*(1:9);
>> diag(a)
ans =
     1
     4
     9
    16
    25
    36
    49
    64
    81
 | 
| 
>> a=(1:9)'*(1:9);
>> diag(diag(a))
ans =
     1     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0
     0     4     0     0     0     0     0     0     0
     0     0     9     0     0     0     0     0     0
     0     0     0    16     0     0     0     0     0
     0     0     0     0    25     0     0     0     0
     0     0     0     0     0    36     0     0     0
     0     0     0     0     0     0    49     0     0
     0     0     0     0     0     0     0    64     0
     0     0     0     0     0     0     0     0    81
 |